The Dark Trio
by The Fire In Which We Burn
Summary: Two different people are abused by people they should trust and become outcasts at Hogwart's. Draco is assigned a task by Voldemort to become a Death Eater but will he do it? And who is the strange new guy?
1. Escape From Home

**Chapter 1 – Escape From Home**

The girl, small for her age, sat on her bed, in the middle of the room, in silence. The only sound to be heard was the continuous muffled tune emanating from the headphones covering her ears. Her eyes were dry, as she had only stopped crying less than an hour ago. Now her once thick black lines of eyeliner were now smudged due to those recent tears. Her head was bopping to the heavy beat of rock and metal music streaming from her IPod and her thick black hair was moulded into a spikey mass using hair gel and spray that morning.

A voice called up the stairs, but she did not hear.

The voice called again but this time from the top of the stairs and this time he sounded angry. But the girl in her room still didn't hear.

The young lady looked up when she saw movement in her peripheral vision. The door handle was moving but she smiled when she remembered the lock she had fitted on the inside of the door.

The man on the other side of the door got angrier every time he tried to open the door. As his frustrations mounted, the man came up with a new plan of attack.

The girl's happiness soon turned to fear as she saw how much the door was flexing due the sheer amount of force her father was putting into smashing the door down. She was soon cowering away from the door, in the corner of the room, her hands over her headphones as if forcing the music through her ears to calm her down. Her eyes were screwed shut presumably to convince herself that her dad was not forcing his way into her room.

Five minutes later, she reopened her eyes assuming all to be safe but flinched when she saw her father standing less than a meter away from her, red faced, breathing heavily and an evil glint in his eye. Her bedroom door was now standing open, hanging off one of the three hinges and the cheap metal lock was twisted and broken.

"Father…" She started fearfully, but screamed when he tugged her headphones off her and they caught on her earring, ripping her earlobe.

"Why didn't you come when I called?" He asked in an eerily calm voice.

The teenage girl just whimpered, unable to answer, thanks to pain pulsing from the left side of her head.

"ANSWER ME!" The man yelled at his daughter, punctuating the end of his sentence with a hard yet fast slap to the left side of Hermione's face, right on top of her now steadily bleeding ear.

"You are never going back to that circus you freaks' call a school, mark my words, never again." He screamed at the defenceless girl, his eyes bulging in rage, as he stormed out of her room, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake.

He left Hermione Granger crying in the corner of her bedroom, clutching her sixth year letter from her beloved school, thinking of a way to escape from her prison, the next day, to catch the scarlet red Hogwarts express to take her to her only home.

Hermione woke up. The alarm she had set signalled it to be midnight. Silently she dressed in the dark, she put on a pair of black skinny jeans, a black blouse with a purple lace corset on top and a pair of black leather converses. Hermione applied her makeup using a small torch to see, before packing it and her hair gunk into an already packed bag. Then performed a glamour charm to hide the red hand mark on her face.

Then Hermione peered out of her room and heard two different sets of heavy snoring emanating from her parents room. Apparently the sleeping tablets she had crushed into their food that evening had worked wonders. Hermione then returned to her room and opened her window wide enough for her slim body to slip through. She walked across the wide ledge until she was above lush green grass instead of the hard cold concrete her father had put over half of the garden. Hermione chucked her bag to the floor, then shortly followed it, rolling so that the shock didn't break her bones.

Using wandless magic, that Hermione had mastered the year before, she unlocked the shed that housed the magical life her father had locked away from her.

Once shrinking her trunk down to a more manageable size she slipped it into her bag on her shoulder before Apparating to the Sleepy Cauldron.

"Your mission is simple, kill Dumbledore and give us Death Eaters access to Hogwarts," Lucius Malfoy hissed at his son, imitating his great lord, Voldemort, "If you don't succeed, you will be killed, but it's no skin off of my nose."

Draco nodded dutifully, "Yes Father."

Outside Draco was as calm and cool as he normally was, but inside he was going berserk. It was well known that Dumbledore was the best head teacher Hogwarts had ever seen and he was the only person Voldemort was scared of in the world.

"You may go now." Lucius exclaimed dismissing his son, with a tumbler of Firewhiskey to his lips and his head tilled in satisfaction.

Draco left his father's study quickly and returned to his room to brood. A knock on his door startled Draco out of his reverie. Narcissa Malfoy stuck her tear-stained face around the door.

"Are you alright Darling?" She said sniffling, wiping the tears away from her eyes.

Draco didn't answer. He just stared at his emerald green carpeted floor, and then shuffled across his bed to create room for his mother.

"Your father told me of the mission given to you by our Lord, Voldemort," She said carefully, before wailing the rest of her sentence, "Oh Draco, you do not have to go through with this..."

His bedroom door slammed open, revealing a fuming Lucius Malfoy.

"Woman, I told you to wait for me in your chamber and not to interfere with things you have no understanding of and aren't your business." Draco's father seethed, grabbing his wife's hair and dragging her towards the door, "I will teach you to not disobey me."

The fear in his mother's eyes kicked Draco into action, "Leave my mother alone!" He bellowed at his father.

Lucius Malfoy stopped his movements, "Don't challenge me boy, this is nothing of your concern."

"Yes it is. If you are to hurt my own mother, then yes it is my business." Draco replied defiantly, standing his ground.

Lucius' eyes turned to slits, "Crucio." He yelled, whipping his wand out of its sheath and pointed it towards his only son and heir.

He fell to the floor, screaming in agony, writhing as his body felt like he was being burnt alive from the inside and his flesh was being torn off. He couldn't breathe. He had screamed his voice raw. His once strong voice had been reduced to mere whimpers as his body struggled to fight overwhelming pain. Tears ran down his face in streams as he convulsed on the floor. It was the worst pain he had ever endured, it was pure torture and that alone made Draco know that he would never inflict this suffering on anyone. Draco had retreated so far into his mind that he didn't realise that the curse had been lifted, until he felt a warm hand against his clammy face.

"Draco...Baby...Please get up...Baby, you're scaring me." Narcissa whispered into his ear.

He moved, starting to get up, but all of the pain inflicted on him seemed to have amassed in his chest and stomach, and preventing him from getting up.

"Thank Merlin, you are ok...I thought you were dead..." His mother began to ramble, tears flowing freely down her pale cheeks.

Draco just groaned, as much as he loved his mother now was not the time for mindless chatter, as it was adding to his already horrific headache.

He lay on the ground for another ten minutes as he regained his strength, ignoring the babble being spouted by his only loving parent.

"I need to go and see Lucius." Draco exclaimed pushing himself off of the floor.

He stumbled, and almost fell, his muscles had seized up.

"No...You can't...He will kill you...Draco please." Narcissa whimpered, afraid to lose the only thing she loved in the whole world.

"Mother I will be fine, I assure you." He replied softly.

Draco then kissed his mother on the forehead before limping towards his father's study, wand in hand.

Draco entered Lucius' study without knocking, meaning certain death.

"How dare you enter here without my permission..."His father screamed before being interrupted.

"How dare I? How dare you more like, how the hell can you justify torturing your own flesh and blood. I always looked up to you, I always thought that one day I would be like you, but I grew up. Now I realise that you are sick in the head, no wonder you feel as though wiping some deformed hypocrites arse is the way forward for the Malfoy family. You are truly sick if, one, you think that raping your wife is a civilised way of getting sex and, two, you actually get pleasure from it. You can't deny it _father_, I saw you. I saw you Lucius, when I was little. Why do you think I couldn't even look at you for weeks," Draco was shouting at his father, but he calmed down for the last sentence, to minimise the reaction for his whole rant, "If you want to be a Death Eater that's fine, but don't be an arse about it."

Lucius actually seemed to listen to Draco and think over it. Draco started to let his guard down believing himself to be in the clear.

"It seems I have been too soft on you and your mother." Lucius started.

"Yeah...Hang on...What?" Draco exclaimed confused, tensing immediately.

Lucius continued as if nothing had happened.

"Your mother spent...too much time...with you as a child. She has...influenced you. You are not...as a Malfoy should, you are too soft...and...you don't know your place, Boy," He explained slowly as if to a small child, pausing ever so often, "Crucio!...A little pain will harden you up, Draco, to become a real Malfoy."

This time Draco didn't scream, he bit his lip, forcing no sound to escape. Blood trickled into his mouth and down his chin, as his body writhed in agony of its own accord.

"No!" A voice screamed and ran towards Draco, who was now lying on the floor, and cradled his head.

The Cruciatus curse lifted off of Draco for the second time in his life and Lucius laughed.

"I have come up with a better punishment for both of your disobedience. Imperio."

Draco's control over his body was nonexistent and his eyes had gone cloudy. He felt liek a spectator in his own body.

Draco's body got up off of the floor, not taking notice of the mantra he was chanting in his head, "Don't let him win", and shoved his mother away from him. His mind looked on in horror as he pointed his wand at his own mother.

"Crucio." Draco heard his lips whisper.

He was screaming and crying in his head, just as much as Draco's mother was, right in front of him. Draco noticed a single tear rolling down his exteriors face.

But Lucius Malfoy laughed on, pleased with himself for coming up with the perfect mental torture. He sustained the curse for a full half an hour.

When the curse lifted Narcissa's body was still convulsing. Draco was scared. Lucius was still in control of his body, with no signs of letting up. There was a pleasured spark in his eyes.

Draco's body walked around his mothers quaking form until he was in her eye line. His wand arm lifted slowly. Draco was screaming a continuous stream of 'No's' in his head.

"Draco, I love y..." Narcissa said quietly, before being interrupted.

"Avada Kedrava." His voice said, just before control over his own body had been re-administered.

"No." Draco whispered, seeing the light leave his only loving parent's eyes.

"No? Oh but yes Boy. You have just killed your own mother," Lucius said with fake sympathy, smiling as he went, "You have made me proud Boy...so I may have put in a little bit of the effort but it is you who is going to be tortured by it in the long run."

Lucius clapped his son on the back, sending him to his knees.

"No witty response...humm...you must be tired. Go to bed, you have school tomorrow. Also if you don't do the assignment I will just have to get you to torture someone else you love." His father said almost lovingly.

Draco got up, his heart cold.

"I need to clear my head...I am going to Diagon Alley, maybe I will find something to help you gain access to Hogwarts, Sir." He said without emotion, walking out of his father's study.

"If you tell anyone about this..." Lucius started.

Draco stopped in the door way, "You will kill me, I know, Sir."

Once in his room, Draco packed all of his belongings into his trunk before shrinking it down to fit into his cloak pocket. He took one last look around his childhood sanctuary, before walking the short distance to the Floo.


	2. The Dark Haired Duo Unite

**Chapter 2 – The Dark Haired Duo Unite**

The Leaky Cauldron per usual was a dark, damp and dreary place to be, and Hermione quickly shuffled to the special wall and tapped the memorised pattern out on to the bricks, to open up the passageway to Diagon Alley, before Tom the barman realised that he had lost an another customer.

Being midnight there was hardly anyone wandering the normally busy street and none of the shops were open except for the library which was always open. So Hermione, being the bookworm she is, took refuge among the books she loved so dearly. The smell of old parchment and leather quickly sent her to sleep.

At around eight in the morning Hermione woke to the sound of the hustle and bustle of magical life. She rifled through her bag for the book and equipment list for all sixth years. She bought her long list of books from Flourish and Blots, needed for this year and the next, with a little help from the store assistant. Hermione wandered the busy street before stopping at Madam Malkin's for a new winter cloak.

After finishing all of her essential shopping for school she decided to walk back through to the Leaky Cauldron to access the muggle world, as she had an hour to kill.

She found a Blue Banana store only a five minute walk from her second life. When Hermione entered the boutique a cute almost twenty-ish guy walked up to her.

"Morning Darling, is there anything I can help you with?" He said in a scarily cheerful voice.

Hermione decided to splash out using the money she had 'borrowed' from her father.

"I need a new belt and I would love to have a new dress." She replied with fake enthusiasm, dragging the guy over to the massive rack of different belts and spent the next ten minutes talking about different belts and their lifespan and materials.

Once Hermione had chosen herself a black leather studded belt with a long lifespan, she made her way to the section filled with every single kind of dress known to man.

A black and white pinstriped dress called out to her from the rail. It looked Victorian so it was obviously steampunk, it had a laced-up bodice and a satin hood that doubled as a collar and had buckles down the sides of the dress. It looked great. Hermione tried it on and went to ask the guy if it looked alright, but from his shocked open mouthed expression, she believed his stunned silence to be in the positive. Hermione ignored the look from the other customers and wandered around the shop looking for accessories to go with the gem she had discovered. She was already thinking of the Halloween party promised to everyone by Dumbledore in her letter. So Hermione decide to buy the dress with fishnet tights and a small black clip on hat with netting and feathers.

Looking at the clock on the wall above the counter Hermione realised that she should be getting on the train now, if she wanted a good seat, Harry and Ron always shot-gunned the window seats. She ran out of the store and passed a beautiful choker necklace with a silver pendant of twisting knot of thorns and tears of blood-red Swarovski crystals. The pendant was supported by a thin leather thong. Hermione loved it, but she spotted the price tag. It was in three digits, which was so much more than she had in her pocket. So Hermione apparated to Kings Cross Station gutted that she couldn't buy that stunning piece of art.

She arrived in a secluded corner of the busy station and walked towards the magical barrier between her two worlds. When Hermione got to the barrier she found a man standing there who looked familiar. With dread she started backing away but the man in the light green coat her mother had bought for him turned around.

"You had better come back here you ungrateful bitch." Her father said softly, not drawing attention to himself from the public.

As to avoid any more anger being projected towards her by her father, Hermione walked towards him. Her father grabbed her arm and pulled Hermione back towards the barrier but she tripped and went flying towards the brick wall, hitting her head hard on the cold stone edge of the pillar. She was stunned and sat on the floor trying to wonder what had just happened but her father didn't take any notice of the fact that he had caused her harm.

"I am taking you home now, how dare you leave that house without asking first? Where the hell have you been? I told you I didn't want you going back to that freak school of yours again. As your father," He spat the word father as if it tasted foul in his mouth. "You have no right to disobey me especially while you live in my house. You are coming home with me, you stupid bitch," Hermione began to struggle as her father grabbed her wrist to drag her away and kicked him in the shin, "I will teach you to not disobey me."

Hermione froze in fright. Surely her father couldn't touch her in public, but his eyes said that was exactly what he was going to do. Her father had started to raise a hand but was interrupted by a dark character coming around the corner.

Draco arrived in Knockturn Alley at two in the morning exactly. He was looking for a specific shop, a tattoo parlour to be exact. It was a shifty looking place, like the rest of the shops down that lane. The door was open. The owners had clearly not shut up shop yet.

When Draco entered the boutique, he found a young guy, who had at least eight different piercings, two of them stretchers, and two different colour eyes, one blue and the other brown. He was leaning against the counter without a care in the world.

"Ah Young Mister Malfoy, how can I help you this fine morning?" The man said raising an eyebrow, "I can do hair charms, piercings and tattoos, magical and muggle."

Draco didn't answer, but instead looked around the shop for inspiration, then decided to go for impulse as that was the closest he got to having an emotion now.

"What's the difference between magical and muggle tattoos?"

"Well Young Malfoy, muggle tattoos are applied to the skin using needles and hurt more than magical ones, also they don't move. Magical ones are almost printed on using a wand and doesn't hurt at all, these also move as you wish." The man explained quickly, picking at his nails.

Draco paused before answering, "I would like a static muggle tattoo, a lip piercing and my hair to no longer be distinguishable as Malfoy blond. Oh and don't call me that, call me Draco."

The strange guy eyed him up bizarrely and then nodded.

"I like you already Draco, you have guts." He said understandingly, before starting on the tattoo.

The tattoo took over an hour to do on its own and was then tidied and cleaned with magic. A beautiful phoenix took its place over his heart with the word 'MUM' repeated many times to represent the golden and red plumage. Narcissa Malfoy was well known for her love of the fiery bird.

"You didn't flinch once, I'm impressed." The guy said appraisingly.

"I didn't feel it." Draco murmured truthfully, feeling the gaze of the man on his back.

The man looked at him in disbelief, "Surely you felt it slightly..."

Draco turned around slowly to look at the man in his eye.

"Sure I felt it, but it was more like it was brushing my chest, instead of injecting ink under my skin. I haven't really felt anything since..." He stopped unable to finish his sentence, without thinking of how his mother was brutally murdered at his own hand.

The man noticed Draco shudder, but didn't ask about it.

Next was the piercing, on his bottom lip. This also didn't hurt due to Draco's lack of mental stability. The guy looked at Draco with worry in his eyes. There was something really wrong with this kid.

Draco left the decision of his hair style to the man he had began to trust. He was too busy trying to come up with a way out of Voldemort's grasp without killing Dumbledore or getting killed himself.

"Hey dude, I know it's not my business but is your dad going to be alright about this? I mean you aren't going to get killed or something for this? Or me, I don't fancy being killed prematurely by You-Know-Who's toy boy...no offence." The man said screwing up his face at the thought of being killed.

"What's your name?" Draco asked, ignoring the questions for a second.

"Andy Tuck at your service." The guy winked.

"Andy to answer your questions, yes, my _father_ will go mental. I will probably be killed for it, as this is not proper Malfoy attire. And who do you take me for, I will not mention you in the slightest when I'm being tortured for information. The toy boy comment was great, it sums him up quiet well, but there are other words that would suit him better..." Draco trailed off, lost in his own dark thoughts.

Andy Tuck examined the young boy sat in front of him. It was obvious that something drastic had happened to the kid, his normally light grey eyes were now dark and lacking in any kind of emotion under the spectrum. There were dark circles under his eyes, a sign of a severe lack of sleep. But he knew not to ask personal questions to any person who ventured down Knockturn Alley, no matter their age.

Draco suddenly stood up and examined himself in the mirror. He wasn't surprise he looked dead, in fact he didn't feel anything, but he did find that his new hairstyle suited him and his piercing, but not his clothes. He groaned.

"This looks good, but now I need a new attire. Malfoy's have to be fashionable after all." Draco exclaimed to everyone and no one, "Andy I don't suppose you know where I can get clothes that would suit me?"

Seeing nothing else to do Andy shrugged in acknowledgement before walking out on to the street and shutting up shop. Now it was five in the morning and a few people were walking the street network of Knockturn Alley.

The pair walked shoulder to shoulder down the street towards a grubby looking store called Tuck's Darker Side of Clothing. It seemed to specialise in dark muggle like clothing, but it wasn't open.

"Oi Alerion, get your fat arse downstairs you have a customer waiting." Andy yelled towards the open window on the top floor, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

An arm appeared out of the window and flipped them off. Andy burst out laughing. The person could be heard scrambling down the stairs. A crash sounded followed by a long stream of curses. Finally the door opened, the same time the lights inside the shop came on.

"Dude, after you?" Andy said with a wide smile, inclining his head slightly.

As soon as Draco had walked through the threshold he was being attacked by a floating tape measure. Andy had thrown himself down on the floor and was reading a muggle music magazine cross legged on the floor.

A man who looked similar to Andy came into the room, arms laden with clothes all in his size.

"Ah Mister Malfoy," Alerion exclaimed joyously making him flinch, "You look different. Actually, you look much better now that you no longer look like your father."

Draco acknowledged the compliment but said, "Please don't call me Malfoy."

"Of course, Draco. I see you have brought my brother along with you, you unfortunate soul." He said grinning, his eyes twinkling with humour.

The brothers chuckled.

Draco began looking at all the clothes Alerion had brought with him from the back room, that were now suspended in mid air. He liked the style of almost all of them but then some of them were too colourful for his current mood.

Pulling out his shrunken trunk from his pocket, Draco set it on the floor before charming it back to its original size and unlocking it. A picture of his father and mother sat on the top, but he ignored it as if it weren't there. He was on a mission. Draco pulled out all of the Malfoy-ish clothes that were bought with his father's approval and piled them on the floor of the shop, before setting them on fire. The flames calmed him.

Behind him Alerion had moved to get up to stop Draco burning his shop down, but was stopped by his younger brother who just shook his head.

"He is in control." Was the only reason given.

Once the mound of garments had reduced to ash, Draco used him wand to sweep the ash into the fire place and repaired the burn in the carpet. Turning round he saw that the two brothers were staring at him.

Andy shrugged and said "Well, it's a sort of retail therapy isn't it."

Alerion laughed, even the corner of Draco's lips moved, before they set on to the task on hand, fitting Draco with enough clothes to fill his trunk. The three of the sorted through around fifty different outfits, putting different pairs of skinny jeans, studded belts, hoodies, steampunk jackets and band shirts into either the 'Yes' pile or 'No' pile.

"Where do you get all of this stuff?" Draco asked suddenly.

"Muggles." Was the only answer he got, but he was alright with it, it totally contradicted everything Lucius had ever said about them.

Two hours later Draco left the store with a promise to stay in touch with the two brothers. He was wearing one of the many pairs of black skinny jeans, a black hoodie, a woollen trench coat covered in buckles with the collar turned up, shielding his face from the cold wind, and a pair of knee high black leather buckled boots. Draco's hair was covering his eyes, making him look sinister and found that people seemed to move out of his way even though they didn't know who he was.

Next stop was the fabulous Borgin and Burkes for a browse. Mr Borgin looked up and quickly put the magazine he was reading down, but not before Draco saw the title, PlayWitch.

"The dirty old bugger." He thought to himself, Borgin being over 70 years old.

"How may I be of assistance, Master..." Mr Borgin said with a tone that implied that he was busy, it seems not being seen has its draw backs.

"You don't need to know my name Mr Borgin." Draco replied in a no nonsense tone that scared the old man slightly.

He began to wander around the shelves, looking for a hidden gem. Twenty minutes later Draco spotted an ornate silver dagger encrusted with tear shaped blood red rubies on the hilt. The little sign floating next to it didn't have a list of dark enchantments like many of other ornaments in the shop did.

"How much is this?" He asked quickly, wanting to leave the store that was pulsing with dark magic.

"Twenty-two galleons Sir, it's a bit expensive for most people." Mr Borgin said implying it to Draco, his nose stuck in the air.

"I shall take it." Draco replied almost throwing the money at the insufferable old man before Apparating to a blind spot in Kings Cross Station over three hours early.

He settled into a seriously uncomfortable seat around the corner from the magical barrier, waiting for the barrier to open.

At around 10 o'clock Draco was startled awake by a disturbance by the barrier.

"...I told you I didn't want you going back to that freak school of yours again...You are coming home with me, you stupid bitch...I will teach you to not disobey me." A man's voice said quietly as to not draw attention to himself.

Draco thought back to when Lucius said those same words to his mother, 'I will teach you to not disobey me.' He didn't want to leave the person in the same position his mother was in.

He rounded the corner to see a man looming over a clearly dazed girl who was sitting on the floor.

"Excuse me," Draco said to the man and when he didn't respond he tapped him on the shoulder, "Oi mate."

"What?" The man snarled drawing himself up to his full height, which was still three inches shorter than him.

"If I were you I would leave the girl alone, unless you want to get arrested for harassment." Draco explained calmly.

"I am her father. I have every right to do what I like with her." The man spat, punctuating the end of the sentence with a swift punch to Draco's gut.

He didn't feel anything and instead of bending over in pain, Draco was bent over laughing. The older man had made a massive mistake of attacking Draco. It had made him angry. It was first emotion Draco had felt since killing his mother and he was relishing it.

"Man that was rubbish. Grow some balls dude so that you don't punch like a girl. And you actually have no right to assault me for sticking up for my friend," Draco made up on the fly, his voice going hard and cold, "And you can't stop her from going to school, it is illegal."

Draco then delivered a sneaky punch to the man's gut before helping up his daughter.

"Where are you off to then?" He asked politely brushing dust off of her clothes, ignoring the wailing man on the floor.

The girl looked around the station but didn't answer, the look in her eye suggested that she knew where she was going, but couldn't tell.

Draco noticed her bag had been unzipped and saw part of the Gryffindor crest on a shrunken trunk.

"Hogwarts then." Draco exclaimed simply before practically falling through the barrier pulling the girl behind him where her father couldn't follow.

The girl looked startled and relieved at the same time. As Draco studied the girls face he saw features he knew like her beautiful brown eyes, but couldn't place.

"What's your name?" Draco asked slowly.

"Hermione Granger. Yours?" She replied quickly, sticking her hand out to shake.

Draco ignored the hand.

"Draco Malfoy, at your service Granger." He said smiling before performing an over the top bow.

Something about his voice showed Hermione that he had changed.

Draco promptly turned on his feet walking away, his coat tails flapping in the wind, with his head held high, leaving Hermione speechless and staring at his retreating form.

She quickly composed herself, before boarding the scarlet beauty. Hermione found the compartment with her friends in easily, it was the one with all the noise coming from. Sliding open the door, she found Harry and Ron engaged in a game of exploding snap.

"Hi guys." Hermione said forcing fake happiness to show.

They both looked up from their game.

"Who the hell are you?" Harry asked harshly.

"God. Harry it's me, Hermione." She replied puzzled to where all this animosity stemmed from.

"No you're not. We aren't friends with an emo whore." Harry sneered, Ronald stayed silent believing the sun shined out of his rear.

"What?"

"Get out." Harry turned back to his game and Ron just shrugged.

"Great friends you are." Hermione spat at them, a tear rolling down her cheek.

She walked back down the train to find somewhere else to sit.

The only compartment with room by now was with Draco Malfoy.

"Are you just going to stand there Granger or are you going to come in?" Draco asked without looking in her direction, he was staring out of the window.

"Sorry but there is nowhere else to sit." She said apologetically.

"Granger, it's fine, just sit and please stop talking." Draco was still looking out the window, remembering his mother, a tear escaped and rolled down to his chin, which Hermione noticed.

She was silent for a second, before asking one of the questions that were bugging her.

"Are you alright?"

Draco chuckled coldly, "Yeah I am just peachy."

"Seriously Malfoy, what's wrong? Seeing as though my friends have just blanked me because of the way I dress, I would like to be able to get along with someone in this school."

He turned to look at her, "Why Granger, you look like a hot pixie in that corset." He winked with a grin on his face that soon turned sombre. "Fine. I call for a truce, but I can't tell you what's up with me as it will get you killed. All I can tell you is that I saw my mother die yesterday."

"Oh my lord. I'm so sorry Draco." Hermione exclaimed, sitting next to him and wrapping her arms around him.

Draco tried to force the sobs down but the sheer undeserved compassion shown by someone whom he had bullied for years overwhelmed him and he spent the next half an hour, until the train started, whimpering like a beaten puppy into Hermione's shoulder.


	3. The New Guy

**Chapter 3 – The New Guy**

The Great Hall was filled with a thousand ecstatic students all happy to join in with the festivities, except for Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger who were sat at the end of their house tables, closest to the doors, being shunned by their peers.

The sorting had started and finished without the new acquaintances paying any attention to the new students being added to their respectable houses.

Professor Dumbledore stood up and the hall fell silent.

"A very warm welcome to our new pupils and a welcome back to our old hats." Dumbledore had an amused twinkle in his eyes, "Another year full of magical education awaits you all. I would like to remind you all that the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds for all students and Mr Filch has asked me to say that all items bought from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes are not too be brought into the school. We are pleased to welcome a new sixth year student called Orion Black," Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco all looked up to see the new kid, seeing as though they all knew that particular last name, "He was home schooled and has achieved the second highest results in the entire school, second only to Hermione Granger also in sixth year..."

Hermione cringed as the muttering started, half the school turned around to look at her and turned their noses up at her, surprisingly Draco Malfoy was the only person to semi smile at Hermione.

"...Orion requested to be sorted when he came during the holidays and I am pleased to say Ravenclaw have a new student in their midst."

Everyone clapped to be polite as the new boy walked up the isle to sit at his new house table.

Orion was a good looking boy, tall and muscular. His facial features were perfect and straight, but the schools perception of the boy's perfect face was ruined by the multiple piercing stabbed through his pale skin and the faultless jet black side-swept bangs hiding his face. No one likes change. People are scared of what they don't understand and what they can't see, so they had already categorized the youth as a trouble maker and a misfit, a boy to avoid, even though they didn't know him. The girls were already calling him a 'bad boy', whispering to their friends. The boys looked at him in disgust, the same horrified disgust that Harry had gazed upon Hermione.

The new guy walked to the end of his new house table, almost to the big oak doors and sat down. All the students shuffled away from him giving Orion a wide birth, but one girl moved closer to him and practically sat on his lap. She whispered something into his ear.

"I'm definitely not interested." He replied not even looking at the girl.

Sally-Anne Perks huffed then slid back next to her friend, flipped her superficial blond hair over her shoulder and said, "He's gay." So that everyone in a five meter radius heard.

Orion chuckled to himself and shook his head in amazement, before looking over to Draco and nodding in recognition. Draco inclined his head before turning back to his head teacher's speech.

"...These are dangerous times, as you all know Lord Voldemort and his followers are once again gaining strength. I cannot stress how important it is for our school to look after each other. The castles magical fortifications have been strengthened but they only work so far. I urge you all to listen and abide by the rules set by your teachers for your own safety. Also if you see anything suspicious tell a member of staff immediately," Dumbledore's face turned from serious to joyful with a twinkle in his eyes, "And now on to happier things. All those wanting to play for their house team should contact their team captain for the date of tryouts."

All the males in the hall started talking about this Quidditch season. Professors McGonagall and Snape began a heated debate about whose team was going to win this year, that is until Dumbledore raised his arms up and called for silence.

"Quidditch isn't as important as the food in front of you. Tuck in!"

Platters and dishes of many different foods appeared in front of their eyes. Everyone began eating, pulling the house elf made delights on to their plates as if were gold, shoving it down their throats as if it was the last meal on earth. Everyone, that is, except from Hermione, Draco and Orion. Hermione only nibbled on a small bread roll whilst the two boys mainly moved the food around their plates. The main soon disappeared without the three actually paying attention to their surroundings. The platters were replaced with mountains of different kinds of desserts. All three of the shunned picked up a piece of Lemon Tart and that soon became the only substantial part of their dinner.

Once everyone had finished Dumbledore got up again and addressed the gathered.

"Your beds await you all and after that long journey you all need your rest. Let us therefore say goodnight."

The benches slid back in a deafening scrape as everyone filed out of the hall.

"Oi, important person coming through." A voice called from behind and pushed his way through the crowd.

Once getting to the front of the congregation Harry Potter stood just outside the door, waiting for the new guy.

"Did you know Sirius Black?" He called out grabbing Orion by the arm as he tried to walk past.

Orion waited for most of the crowd to go back to their dorms before answering, "Why the hell should I answer you Potter, when I don't know you at all? You maybe the Chosen One but you treat your friends like shit, especially the ones you need to defeat Voldemort. At these times you should be worried about vanquishing that bastard but no you are more worried about what your friends look like and how it will ruin your street cred."

He winked his stormy dark eyes at Hermione who was standing in the doorway next to Draco.

"How dare you..." Harry started but stormed off when Orion walked off to talk to the pair behind him.

"So Hermione, you are my competition for the top spot aren't you." Orion joked grinning, his eyes turning lighter, and stuck out his hand.

Hermione chuckled and shook his hand, "Yeah I'm Hermione, I do hope we have the same classes. It would be nice to have an intelligent conversation with someone."

"Hey what about me? I have always been second to you, well now, third in rank of brain power." Draco said laughing.

"Ah so you must be Draco Malfoy." The new boy said cheerfully.

"Please call me Draco," He said whilst shaking his hand, "The first chance I get I'm changing my name."

"Oh, how come?" Hermione asked.

"Let's just say I had an epiphany over the summer. I don't want to be like my father." Draco prayed that she didn't ask him anything else but Hermione seemed satisfied for now with that answer.

"Oh crap," Orion said looking around him, "Guys, do you know where the Ravenclaw common room is?"

Hermione and Draco looked at each other before raising their eyebrows at each other in challenge and saying 'Yes' at the same time. They gazed at each other in disbelief before shrugging and leading the way towards Orion's new home.

"How do you know where the Ravenclaw's base is? I mean us Slytherins always believed that you Hermione Granger, Gryffindor Princess, followed the rules i.e. no one from a different house may enter a common room that is not their own." Draco explained softly.

Surprisingly Hermione wasn't offended by this assumption, in fact, she was pleased that the Slytherin's knew nothing about her.

"When did Dumbledore's Army, sometimes I would walk back with Luna Lovegood and Ginny Weasley. What about you? Slytherin's don't tend to mingle."

"True but one of my ex-girlfriends found it compulsory to have me walk her everywhere. The common room being the most frequent place I visited apart from the loo's" Draco shuddered.

Orion and Hermione laughed at Draco's discomfort.

They arrived at the Ravenclaw's entrance. A big wooden door sealed off the common room from intruders, but it had no keyhole or handle to open it. The door only had one small golden eagle as a knocker as decoration.

"All you have to do is use the knocker then answer the question the eagle asks you. If you answer the question correctly then you gain access." Hermione prompted pushing Orion towards the door.

"What if I get it wrong?" Orion asked seriously.

"You are stuffed...Nah...We will just have to answer it for you." Draco answered cheerfully.

"Thanks guys." Orion said, giving Hermione a hug and a kiss on each cheek before shaking Draco's outstretched hand.

"Can you two sit with me tomorrow? I mean I know that you two have a bit of a feud going on between the two of you...and your classmates...but it will save you from the inept conversations you were no doubt subjected to from your oh-so-loving friends."

"Actually I think that Hermione and I are going to get on spectacularly this year, so that will be fine. And intelligent conversation sounds good, I am so tired of dumbing down everything I say into four letter words and slowing it down for Crabbe and Goyle."

Hermione and Orion laughed.

Waving Draco and Hermione walked off leaving Orion to a battle of wits with the eagle knocker guardian on his common room door.

"You know Orion looks a bit like you, he has the same colour eyes as you." Hermione stated, voicing her observations.

"Yeah, that's what I thought," Draco scratched his head in confusion, "So do you look at my eyes often Granger?"

Draco chuckled at the look on her face, a mix between horror and amusement.

Hermione liked this playful Draco, he was more laid back and wasn't stirring up shit like he normally would. Something drastic had changed Draco Malfoy over the holidays and Hermione wanted to know what.

She plucked up the courage to ask, "Draco," but when he turned around her courage dwindled, so Hermione asked another question that had being bugging her, "Why are you being so nice to me? I mean I am glad but will it always be like this or are you going to change back to your old self or is this some kind of Death Eater mission or something?"

Draco stopped in his tracks shuddering.

"I am being nice to you because I no longer fear my father and because it is what my mum would have wanted," Draco showed Hermione his blank arm, "See, no Dark Mark. I am not and never will be a Death Eater therefore I have no mission."

Hermione let out an uncharacteristic squeal and leapt towards him, putting her arms around Draco's surprised form and squeezing him. Draco awkwardly patted Hermione on the back, not accustomed to caring gestures from anyone except his mother.

"Um...What was that for?" Draco asked slowly once Hermione had removed her limbs from his person.

"For not being your father. I would not be able to put up with that as well this year." Hermione replied sincerely wiping a tear from her cheek.

Draco nodded, but didn't pry into her business. He knew that Hermione had no reason to trust him and that she would talk to him about it in her own time.

The rest of the journey was walked in a comforting silence. Both parties were surrounded by their own thoughts and secure in the knowledge that the other wouldn't intrude in their thoughts.

Hermione was surprised when Draco walked her straight to her common room guardian. It seemed odd that her arch enemy was walking her home.

"Good night Hermione," Draco said softly, looking at the floor, contemplating his words before he said them, "I hope the Golden Duo don't give you too much shit."

Hermione looked at the insecure boy and wondered what the hell had gone wrong in his oh so perfect life to turn him round. Sure she was pleased, but the kind of catalyst needed to turn around a man who hated everyone who was different to him was enormous, un-comprehendible. She wondered how long it was going to be before he either went back to his old ways or fell apart. Hermione felt like a bitch thinking that but, life had dealt her such difficult cards that she couldn't afford to let anyone in. She would not survive it.

"Thanks, good night Draco," Hermione said timidly, suddenly scared of what this could mean, "See you tomorrow for stimulating conversation over breakfast."

Draco chuckled then winked in her direction before swinging his arms and propelling himself in the general direction of his own common room.

Hermione answered the fat lady's question in a blur and stepped through the hole that no longer felt like home.


	4. Dreams and Memories

**A.N. – Shout out to all my amazing readers and some to the people who are precious to me, my Facebook Wifey, my Darling Gangster Rapper Fireman Striper, my Sugarplum Hunny Bun and the One with No Nickname**

**Chapter 4 – Dreams and Memories**

Orion quickly made his way past the heavy wooden door and found himself right in the middle of the Ravenclaw Common Room. Only a few people were actually in the room, most had already ventured to bed, but those who had stayed to chat at their friends fell silent and one by one filed out if the room as Orion stood by the outward door.

He breathed a sigh of irritation as he sat down in the recently vacated sofa in front of the fire. Orion was an insomniac therefore had trouble sleeping at all, so he 'accioed' a couple of his school books from his unknown room and started to read. But Orion didn't get very far. His mind was elsewhere, in Dumbledore's office in fact, as he remembered how he had arrived at Hogwarts in the middle of the summer.

"_I am so sorry Sir. It was an accident. Honestly I tripped. Please. I didn't mean to smash it." Orion whimpered to the man towering above him with a metal baseball bat in one hand and the remains of a really expensive vase in the other._

_The man dropped the shards of bone china to the floor._

"_You little shit. We bring you into our home and this is how you repay us." Orion's foster parent slammed the bat down on to his ankle's shattering any bone it came in contact with._

_He then continued the way up Orion's body slowly, ignoring Orion who was screaming for his innocence on the cold hard floor and pleading for the man to stop, but the plea's fell on deaf ears and Orion's legal guardian persevered._

_The man only stopped when he saw a movement in the corner of his eye. A single silver knife rose into the air rotating on its point that was directed towards Orion's foster father. This lone blade hovered at the eye level of the startled man and, one by one, was joined by intricate daggers of different size and design as the fragments of the broken vase disappeared._

_Orion was breathing deeply through his nose with his eyes closed, trying to concentrate on steadying the smooth pieces of metal as appose to thinking about the excruciating pain emanating from several possible broken bones. A little droplet of blood rolled down the side of his face from his nose leading to many old bruises inflicted by the mad man in front of him._

"_What the hell is this?" The muggle yelled, at his fostered son, scared, "How are you doing this? How the hell are you doing this?"_

_Orion's current father swung the bat down hard on his already broken leg making him emit an ear splitting cry of pure agony. Orion's concentration wavered and he shot the knives through the room in every direction, one dagger did graze the man's calf giving him nothing more than a paper cut, he dropped to the floor in agony. Blood started pouring out of Orion's nose as his whole body began shaking, he screamed as many of his broken bones began scraping together._

"_You fucking freak!" The man raised his arm high before swinging the bat down hard, this time aiming for Orion's head._

_Orion closed his eyes and prayed as he waited for the impact, but instead he felt a strong surge of incandescent magical energy just before he passed out._

_When Orion woke he was still in pain but in an unfamiliar bed._

"_Ah you're awake." A man's voice said softly from his side, but still startling him._

_Instinctively, Orion transfigured many different objects around the room in which he now rested, into an assortment of medieval weaponry and flung them across to the man._

"_Oh dear. This is new." The unfamiliar voice said._

_Orion still had his eyes closed as he felt his way around the room with his mind and concentrated on driving his ammo towards the intended target, but his artillery met with an unpredicted force instead of raw flesh. He pushed harder against the barrier, it was taking all of his energy to get through this man's shield but he could feel it becoming weaker at a slow pace. This would not fare well for him as Orion would pass out before his opponents shield fell. Many thoughts ran through Orion's head as he tried to come up with a plausible way of defeating the man, but all of his plans required the use of his legs, which he didn't have at this moment in time. His body started shaking again as blackness rimmed his vision._

"_Orion Cygnus Black, I'm not here to hurt you." The man said softly._

_Orion relaxed a little, his heartbeat slowed and he stopped quivering but the sharp implements still attacked the man's shield._

"_I was always under the impression that being dead wouldn't be this painful," Orion choked out to himself, momentarily forgetting the other man, "But am I actually dead?"_

_The man cleared his throat making Orion move slightly and whimper in pain._

"_I do believe not, as that would mean that I too were dead, but, alas I am not, so therefore neither are you."_

_Orion sighed but didn't let his guard down. He knew he was an easy target so he continued to use the floating weapons as his first and only line of defence, but he was quickly becoming tired._

"_Orion Black, please do call off your attack before you kill yourself for real and so that I may walk around my castle freely."_

_Orion was startled, he had only just realised that the man knew his name and he was certain that he had never heard the man voice before. A door opened behind him and a dishevelled looking grey haired woman ran in._

"_Albus, we have an intruder...Oh." She trailed off as she saw a fake goblin made axe fly towards her, only stopping a couple of inches in front of her head._

"_Hello Minerva," The man, he now knew as Albus, said as if being held hostage by a half dead boy was a normal occurrence, "Don't try to move my dear or I am afraid Orion will probably kill you as he doesn't know that you aren't a threat to his already deteriorating health."_

"_How the hell did he get in? Who is he? Where has all the stuff gone?" Minerva slowed down as she digested Albus's last words, "What do you mean deteriorating?"_

_Orion started shaking again, fearing the next phrase out of the wise mans mouth._

"_Neither he nor I know how he came to be in my office. He just appeared out of thin air, barely conscious. He is Orion Black, the secret member of the Back family. And his energy is waning, the weaponry you see before you, was once the medical supplies and has been transfigured by the boy as he is basically dying, if he keeps up his only form of defence, he will die."_

_Orion, who had been listening to this casual banter between the two friends, began to panic. His vision was fading as his breathing became laboured and uneven. He heard the clatter of his weapons falling to the floor as he tried to concentrate on breathing rather than fighting two old and seemingly friendly people._

"_Who the hell are you people?" Orion whispered scared, fighting against the darkness that was waiting to consume him._

_He heard two sets of footsteps become louder as they walked towards his bedside._

"_I am Professor Albus Dumbledore and this is Professor Minerva McGonagall. Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." The man's voice said softly form somewhere near Orion's ear as he succumbed to the infringing darkness._

A single tear slid down Orion's cheek, he was man enough to not wipe it away, but to let the tiny droplet of salt water slowly make its way to the floor. He remembered the feeling when he finally realised he was safe. At the time, Orion had felt warm and loved, like his life was actually worth it. And for the first time in years, Orion settled in for the night with a smile on his face.

Hermione reiterated the password she had heard prefect Potter saying at the table in the Great Hall. The Fat Lady looked at the girl before her, who looked smaller than she had the year before, in pity before swinging open to reveal most of the Gryffindor house.

All signs of chatter diminished as Hermione stepped over the threshold. Everyone above third year looked at her in disgust, whilst all the younger years looked at Harry then glanced at Hermione before whimpering and turning away. They were frightened. Quickly Hermione made her way through the common room, the students parted like Moses parted the sea, and shuffled towards her shared dorm room. She kept her head high and face emotionless as all her former friends glared at her as if she were the devil. Hermione didn't want them to see how broken she was, how much being abandoned upset her. For the first time she realised how much Hogwarts student's resembled vultures, swarming around you. Watching. Waiting. Trying to find any weakness before they attack and rip you to pieces. Leaving you with nothing.

Hermione had just about reached the stairs when a hand caught her around the arm. She flinched and backed away from the person who touched her as she heard the venom in her captive's words.

"Listen bitch, Harry's mine. I won't let your mudblood hands touch him." Ginny's claw like hands gripped her, "Harry told me all about how you were flaunting yourself at him. You disgust me. I cannot believe I once considered you my friend." Ginny swished her flaming red hair over her shoulder and with her nose held high started to walk off.

Harry was smirking to himself in the corner

"Why the hell would I want Potter? He is just a player, not even a good looking one. He is using you Ginny and the faster you realise that, the quicker we will win the war. Oh, and I am not you Ginny I don't go up to the first rich boy I can find and push out my chest to look like I have boobs," The red headed girl tried to interrupt but failed, "Yes Ginny that is what you do. Harry used me for my knowledge so that he could survive the countless attacks he has been inflicted by Voldemort. Ginny he is using you and you know it."

Ginny swung round and slapped Hermione across the face hard, the sound resonated around the room making everyone who wasn't already listening stop and stare. Hermione's head flicked to the side. Slowly she turned her face towards the younger girl, a smirk growing on her face and her eyes dark.

"You will regret that soon, when you finally realise how twisted that boy you have on your arm really is. Enjoy your life whilst it is still yours, as he will soon take it for himself."

Harry walked over to her from his corner, the smirk that was once there had disappeared.

"Don't you dare talk to my girlfriend like that. She is ten times the woman you could ever be." He said loudly.

"If all women are like her, then I want a refund. Are you upset that I changed, that I realised how much you use everyone, that I am more intelligent than you, that I am a better person than you in every single way?" Hermione smirked as she saw how each of her questions angered Scarface.

Everything happened so fast, Harry aimed a right hook towards Hermione's temple but she twisted out of the way, throwing Perfect Potter of balance. Hermione grabbed Harry's outstretched arm and twisted it behind his back. He sunk to his knees in pain gritting his teeth as she wrapped her arm around his neck and pulled his head closer to her face. The self defence lessons she had taken over the holidays had paid off.

"If you every try to touch me again Potter I will do worse to you than wounding your pride. I promise you that." Hermione spat, into Harry's ear before hurling him on to the floor.

Hermione walked out of the stunned crowd in the common room unaware of one friendly face smiling at her defiance.

She found a small piece of parchment folded on her pillow. Hermione stretched her hand out towards it, but then brought it back as if the note was a bomb. She shook her head in annoyance at her herself. She was being silly, who ever heard of being scared of a piece of paper. Hermione flung her hand towards the tiny square and brought it to her chest before sitting down on the corner of her bed. With shaking hands she unfolded the letter and began to read.

_You have friends. You just need to know where to look. Look in the shadows, behind the blinding golden light._

Hermione was surprised. With her luck lately she had assumed that the tiny piece of parchment would be filled with malicious words from an unknown member of the student body, but instead it was a single line of words that warmed her heart and made her able to fall asleep without crying for once.

_Hermione dreamt of a meadow filled with beautiful flowers and tall grasses. She ran her hand over the tufts of grass, the tips tickling her palms. The sun was shining high in the sky beating down on Hermione's bare shoulders. She was wearing a black cotton sundress that swayed gently with the breeze and her feet were bare. Hermione was content listening to the bird song that emanated from the trees in front of her._

"_Hermione." A voice croaked from behind her._

_The bird song died away and the blades of grass and tiny flowers withered and died, turning grey. A shiver travelled through her body drawing out all the warmth from the dwindling sun._

_Hermione turned around slowly, scared of what she might find._

_A blond haired boy was standing a meter away from her but only just. His shirt was off and you could see his heavily defined muscles, but this beautiful picture was ruined by rivers of crimson blood streaming down his chest from sword like cuts. The man stumbled, his arm out stretched._

"_Hermione, help me." He whimpered the pain was clear from his hooded eyes._

_A golden light shone from behind his quaking body, blinding her as__he collapsed on the floor, eyes closed, breathing erratic, slipping out of consciousness. A sinister voice laughed from the centre of the light as Hermione ran towards the still body on the dying meadow floor._

"_Draco, no, please. I need you." Tears flowed freely down her cheeks._

_Dark ghostly like blurs stood around Hermione and Draco's unmoving body in a ring. She felt comforted that they were there, even though she had no idea who or what they were._

_Draco's eyes flickered open slowly, "'Mione...I..." He said before his body succumbed to the pressure and his heart gave out._

When Draco had made it to the end of the passageway leading to the Slytherin Dungeons he found himself confronted by two ogre like men. The green tinge in the light made Crabbe and Goyle look every bit like the trolls they resembled. Draco tried to walk past the dumb duo but was pushed back hard. What the lacked in brains was made up with in strength.

"What are you doing?" Draco growled in annoyance.

The two boys were blocking his way out of the passageway with their arms crossed looking intimidating.

"We have a message from your father. You had better start working on your plan to kill Dumbledore and getting our allies into the castle." Crabbe said reading off of his hand, unconsciously flexing his muscled arm.

Draco didn't flinch. He was used to the pair, trying to look harder than they actually were.

"I have actually come up with a plan," The duo leaned closer intrigued, "Which is me basically putting my feet up and cheering the order on and letting them win." Draco said seriously with a straight face watching the eyes bulge in their faces.

Goyle was the first one to regain any kind of composure he had before, "Your father will not like that," He said with evil humour, "I bet your mother would love that wouldn't she. Oh, I forgot. You killed her. Shouldn't you be falling apart or something?" The malicious youth laughed as Draco's face crumpled and his eyes watered.

"Just because you've lost someone doesn't mean you should stop living." Draco whispered not loud enough for the vile men to hear.

Crabbe sneered obviously not pleased with Draco's lack of reaction, "Your father also sent us to... persuade you... to do the_ right_ thing."

"My father can go fuck himself." Draco exclaimed not bothered by his ex-body guard's threats. Nothing could possibly be as bad as what he had already experienced.

"Crucio!" Goyle whispered as to not wake up the other members of their house, a grin of twisted pleasure on his features that normally formed when presented with food.

The curse wasn't as strong as the one Draco's father had performed, so obviously Goyle didn't mean it as much as Lucius had. But this curse went on for so much longer. Draco was able to fight the pain and was still standing as his legs shook as his mind slowly went into shock and stopped processing what was happening in front of him, but rather remembered the way he killed his own flesh and blood.

Draco pulled himself out of those painful memories and saw Crabbe and Goyle looking at him in disgust at his lack of reaction. Goyle ended the curse and Draco swayed violently from the relief of being released. Draco looked unhealthily pale and was covered in a thin sheen that mixed with the green light and made Draco look sickly. But Draco taunted the two men as he believed that he deserved all the pain in the world for the things he had done.

"Is that all you've got?" Draco said through gritted teeth, wishing his death to come a little bit quicker.

His ex-bodyguards looked at each other in annoyance before nodding and turning back to Draco.

The first punch was thrown by Goyle, it hit Draco in the stomach, winding him and forcing him against the cold stone wall. He grunted against the first blow, but stayed silent when the impacts began more frequent. He didn't defend himself as he clearly deserved it. A fist connected with Draco's nose causing his head to flip back and slam against the hard wall. His vision wavered and darkness rimmed the edges of his sight. Draco collapsed against the wall and slid down it, he curled in a foetal position as the cruel duo inflicted pain on him over and over.

A sickening crack was heard reverberating around the common room as a black Italian leather boot met Draco's side. He bit his lip to keep quiet, knowing that the pair got off on the sound of pain, blood trickled down his throat as his teeth sliced through the thin skin. A well aimed blow met Draco's temple and he passed out on the cold stone floor.

**A.N. - I know that the last bit is a little crap but...I really wanted this chapter up...I have spent way too long on this chapter. I also know that it was up a little later than I expected but I really have had a crap week...Thanks for reading**


	5. The Hunted

**H A.N. - Self Mutilation in this chapter folks...sorry :/ **

**Don't like, don't read, simples.**

**Dedicated to tltharp11**

**Chapter 5 – The Hunted**

When Draco finally regained consciousness he could hear birds happily singing in the distance, which added to his already foul mood that was caused by the revelation that his father was trying to murder him. No one was in the Slytherin Common Room so it seemed it was too early for breakfast in the Great Hall. Draco attempted to push himself off of the floor but his arms started to shake under the pressure of holding up his beaten, weakened body and he fell to the floor making his ribs grate against each other.

A couple of attempts later and Draco was on his feet, gritting his teeth, complaining about how frail his body was. He forced himself to move towards his shared dorm to collect clothes before showering, ignoring the tightness in his muscles. Draco reached the bathroom without any trouble from his sleeping house mates. He tried to not look in the mirror as he undressed, but a flash of colour in the mirror drew his attention. His chest was mottled with dark blue, almost black, bruises and there was dried blood around his nose and in his hair. Draco dabbed at the blood around his broken nose, trying to remove as much evidence from what had happened the night before from his body.

Draco decided to fill the huge bath tub full of scalding water, from one of the many taps around the pool like tub, to wash off the remaining blood. Sighing Draco sank into the bubble covered liquid and as the hot water flowed over his scarred body he began to remember the first time Lucius had ever hit him, when he was only seven years old.

"_NO...please don't hurt her," Draco screamed at his father, "She is my only real friend."_

_A small girl with bright blue eyes and flaming red hair was writhing on the floor in agony in the Malfoy Dungeons. Her name was Melissa and her downfall was the fact that she had befriended the youngest of Malfoy's. The girl's scream reverberated around the solid stone walls._

"_She is not your 'friend'. She is merely a distraction; I cannot believe how weak you are to befriend a muggle of all people. This is what you get for tying yourself to that filth." Lucius stated calmly, before pulling a knife out of his pocket and releasing the girl from the Curiciatus curse._

"_Melissa run, please, I beg of you. RUN." Draco screamed, running towards his friend and picking her up off of the floor._

_The pair were running towards the door as fast as they could but just as they were within a fingertips reach of the door, it shut, the lock clanging against the metal catch. The older_ _Malfoy laughed as the two children whimpered. Draco steeled himself up against his father and pushed the girl behind him to protect her._

"_Leave my friend alone!" Draco screamed at Lucius in an attempt to deter him from killing his only friend._

_Draco then found himself on the floor barely aware of how he got there. He felt a burning pain in his cheek and was startled to find that his father had hit him. A tear started to roll down his pale face, but Draco wiped it off before Lucius could see it. Draco stood up, clutching his face, and saw his first and only friend lying on the floor quivering in fear. Lucius was kneeling beside her, with a long knife in his hands that was hovering above the shaking child's chest._

"_This is what happens to filth in this house." Lucius stated with a twisted grin of pleasure before plunging the blade into her heart of gold._

_Melissa convulsed as her body slowly died and her life force poured out onto the cold dungeon floor. _

When Draco resurfaced from his memory he picked up the tiny sliver dagger he had bought in Borgins and Burkes off of the mosaic tiled side of the bath and slid it across his already maimed wrist in a perfect straight line, drawing blood. Draco frowned as he realised that the pain he normally felt from this action wasn't there. Yet he watched in fascination as the droplets ran into the water turning the now cold and bubble less water an eerie pink colour.

He slid out of the tub and wrapped his fresh wound with a bandage before changing for school and performing a glamour charm on his face to hide all of the evidence of the incident, with his ex-bodyguards, from his person.

Draco wandered around the castle ignoring the supposed excruciating pain in his chest. The crowded corridors weren't helping in the slightest. The smallest of jolts were supposed to be sending spasms of agony throughout his upper body, but it was as if his brain and body were disconnected, he couldn't feel the pain as he were supposed to. From his injuries Draco knew that he should have been writhing on the floor in agony, but instead he felt only a slight tingling as if he were numb or forgetting to feel. It was in this slightly confused state of mind that he found Orion and Hermione moving their food around their plates in the Great Hall.

"Thank god you are here. I was beginning to wonder if you had died or something." Orion joked around a forkful of bacon.

Hermione kicked him under the table as Draco shuddered, remembering his mother.

"What?" Orion asked as Draco sat down next to him.

Hermione only shook her head in reply.

Draco picked up an apple and began nibbling in silence, too caught up in the knowledge that his father had hired his 'friends' to torture his own flesh and blood, to listen to the constant babble of the hall.

A hand gripped his shoulder causing Draco to flinch and draw out his wand and thrust it towards his attacker's throat. Orion grabbed his wrist before Draco had a chance to utter a curse, not that he would have needed to speak the words.

"Draco...It's only Hermione...You know she meant no harm." Orion said soothingly, trying to get his frozen form to relax.

"Sorry Draco I didn't mean to startle you." She explained quietly her eyes wide with concern.

Realising that he was in no immediate danger Draco relaxed and apologised stiffly to the frightened yet concerned girl.

"Please just don't touch me." He whispered to the pair, before getting up from the table, dumping his almost uneaten apple on the silver plate in front of him and walking off.

Orion and Hermione shared a look as they watched their shaken friend shuffle away from them.

"What the hell has happened to Draco between today and yesterday?" Orion asked Hermione rhetorically under his breath.

"I don't know, but I intend to find out." She replied quietly before running to her first lesson, Potions with her 'fellow' Gryffindors and Slytherins.

Draco ran from the Great Hall to the Astronomy Tower ignoring the uncomfortable grating of his ribs. The view from the tower was spectacular, the Forbidden Forest was lit up with light from the morning sun and the lake and its inhabitant glistened and twinkled as droplets of water caught the rays from the fiery orb. The sun shone in the distance and birds sang cheerful tunes, but this did nothing to abate the depression the boy was slowly sinking in to.

Unwrapping the bloodied fabric from his arm, Draco pulled out the silver dagger from his pocket and slid the sharp blade across the flesh; he once again could feel nothing from this action. In a roar of anger Draco threw the knife across the room and the point embedded itself in between two bricks of the stone wall.

As the blade stopped quivering Draco heard two sets of heavy footsteps approaching and quickly re-wrapped his bloodied wrist and pulled down his cloak sleeve to cover the material. Two ogre like men oozed their mass through the doorway. Draco didn't move from his position on the floor, his back against the wall and head bowed looking at the pattern in the marble like stone floor.

"Ah if it isn't Lucius' servants." Draco spat still not looking at the pair.

"We have a present to deliver from your father." Goyle said ignoring Draco's jibe, "He says that you shouldn't be fraternising with the enemy and that you should stay away from that Mudblood."

The rough sound of metal sliding from its sheath could be heard in the silence.

Draco stood and faced the two bullies. He saw the familiar short hunting sword in Crabbe's podgy hand and smirked.

"Deliver it then you idiots." Draco sneered, knowing full well that this would end with his father's sword embedded in some part of his anatomy but he had accepted that fact.

Crabbe plunged forwards towards Draco, holding the sword like a professional fencer and slipped it through Draco's stomach as if it were butter. Blood poured freely from the wound, but he still didn't feel the pain. He leant against the wall as he thought about what to do next; he knew that he could not walk around school with a knife implanted in his flesh. Crabbe and Goyle turned pale and ran down the stairs away from the human anomaly, as they saw Draco wrenched the sword swiftly out of his own body without flinching.

Remembering that he had potions for his first lesson of the year he pulled his own blade out of the wall and pocketed it, and then manoeuvred his way to the Dungeons, leaning on the walls and statues when he had tired himself out, a steady drip trail of blood lead the way back towards the Astronomy Tower behind him.

"You are late Malfoy, excuse?" Snape asked slightly concerned, his favourite student was never late to his lessons.

Draco's attackers paled in the corner as they saw their task of silencing the only Malfoy heir was incomplete.

"I had a...present...delivered from my father that...took up my time. Apologies professor." Draco said slowly, thinking over his words before saying them.

Snape nodded slowly before sending him to his seat next to Hermione and continuing on with the lesson.

What the lesson was about Draco did not know, his concentration was wavering as he became weaker. He now found himself incapable of watching a single thing for any amount of time. The wound on his stomach twinged and Draco put his hand to it before pulling it away as he felt it become sticky with blood.

His rational mind was screaming at him to go to the nurse, to get fixed but his dominant side wanted to follow this out to see whether he truly was soft like Lucius believed.

Draco felt a gentle squeeze on his shoulder and he slowly turned his head towards them. Hermione's face wore a worried expression and her warm chocolate brown eyes were filled with pain.

"What's wrong Draco?" She whispered, ignoring the glare Potter was sending her way.

"I am...fine." He exclaimed loud enough for the class to hear. He glanced around the room to see all the other tables had started working on making some unknown potion. "What...are we...supposed to be...doing?"

Hermione frowned at the same time Professor Snape did. The life in Draco was draining away before their very eyes, the blood drained from his face and his eyes had become glazed and unfocused.

"You are supposed to...Draco...Are you feeling alright?" Snape exclaimed as Draco swayed violently on his stool.

Draco's once strong body was being drained of strength at the same rate of which the blood was leaving it. His vision wavered and he fell sideways off of his chair, his head barely missing the opposite table. Draco's cloak slid from his front, showing the class just how untrue his previous words were. Blood had seeped into his white shirt turning more than half of the cotton fabric a deep crimson red. Some Slytherins and most of Gryffindors laughed in pleasure, at the pain that had been inflicted to the youngest of Malfoy's.

"Oh my god." Hermione whispered as Draco's eyes closed for the last time.

Her logical mind kicked in and she ripped off the buttons on his shirt to assess the extent of the damage. Draco's toned stomach had been punctured by some sort of sharp object. Hermione gasped seeing the size and depth of the wound. A loud bang was heard behind her and she whipped round to see Orion standing by the door, pale faced and holding his stomach. Orion tried to move closer but his face twisted in agony before he dropped to the floor, a droplet of blood trailed from the corner of his mouth.

"What the hell is going on?" Orion groaned through gritted teeth, trying to keep the pain in bay, "One minute I am fine...ish, the next, I feel like I am being stabbed, twice. Yet it's not even my pain I am feeling, it is as if it is his. How fucked up is that, surely that's not even possible."

Orion let out a scream of agony, falling to the floor as his body tried to reject the pain, that made the room fall silent.

Snape found this to be a good time to start giving out orders.

"Granger, help Black up to the Infirmary and I will take Draco...Now...Move...When I return and I see anyone out of their place I will give you all a detention for each person who is out of their seat. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?" Snape growled at the class, before shooting out of the classroom with his godson in his arms.

Hermione was struggling to lead the boy to the Medical Wing. Orion couldn't walk without support and her tiny frame wasn't strong enough to keep him upright.

"Hermione, I can't take this...Not now...Not again...Please..." He said before collapsing to the floor unconscious.

Hermione wiped Draco's blood on her trousers before whipping out her wand from her pocket and levitating Orion to the Infirmary. When they arrived Hermione found that the professor and Draco were already there. Madame Pomfrey was running around the room with potions and spells in her hands, moving as fast as she could to keep the young heir alive.

"Put him down on a bed Miss Granger, I will see to him in a moment." The nurse exclaimed breathlessly.

"Madam, we believe he is to do with this somehow. He can feel Draco's pain, but Draco can't feel his own." Hermione explained quickly to the busy witch.

"That is impossible my dear. Put him down before you drop him."

The only bed with covers was the one right next to Draco; Hermione laid Orion down on the soft fabric and then checked for his vital signs. Orion had a steady heartbeat and was still breathing, so Hermione left him as she went to help Madame Pomfrey heal Malfoy.

"Do you need any help Madame?" Hermione asked hesitantly.

"Yes, any help would be gladly received to help him survive this. He should have been brought straight to me," The woman exclaimed in a rush, "Severus hold him down as Miss Granger pours this on to his wound."

Pomfrey handed Hermione a vial filled with a fluorescent purple liquid. Snape held down Draco's legs whilst Pomfrey held down his arms. Slowly Hermione poured the liquid on to the gaping hole in Draco's stomach. The flesh started to bubble where the liquid dripped. Orion's eyes flew open and he screamed the second the purple fluid touched Draco's skin. Orion began thrashing on the small bed but even the thick leather straps that had appeared from the bed were not keeping him still. Draco didn't even move an inch it was as if he couldn't feel what was happening to himself.

"My god... Severus hold down Orion before he hurts himself."

The pair grabbed hold of him before he fell off of the bed, leaving Hermione to watch her only friends go through this unbelievable and impossible pain. She saw a movement out of the corner of her eye; it seemed the Headmaster was paying them a visit.

"Poppy, Severus, move away from Orion if you know what's good for you," Dumbledore said slowly yet clearly, "He sees you as a threat to his health at the moment."

Hermione turned towards him and saw that the rest of the room had been emptied of its items, the beds, sheets and screens had disappeared and in their place were hundreds of blades, spears, knives, clubs, arrows, swords and axes, all created a shield around Orion, they all pointed to the two teachers, who slowly backed away from the screaming child. The sea of artillery parted letting Snape and Pomfrey away from his convulsing body, then spread to protect Hermione and Draco.

"What is that?" Hermione asked her lip quivering in fear.

"No need to be afraid my dear. Orion is only protecting his friends, something he does instinctively. So he will not harm you." Dumbledore explained.

"So this is Orion's work."

"Yes. You may have to calm him down before his body goes into shock. The last time Orion did this he almost died, but even then he didn't have the pain of another's as well as his own."

Dumbledore's eyes glazed over as if remembering something.

Hermione turned to look at her other friend, the one who had taken it upon himself to make her life hell these last five year, she felt sorry for him. This was obviously the 'present' he had been talking about in Potions, but how could his father want to kill his child, especially when he has just lost his wife. Hermione focused on the open wound that was no longer open. The flesh was growing back rapidly, muscles stitching themselves back together, nerves fusing back together. Draco wasn't moving, he wasn't dead, that much was obvious but it was if he were asleep

Hermione grabbed Draco's hand and wheeled his bed closer to Orion's. There was blood running down his face from his nose and mouth. His face was screwed up in agony and his breathing was erratic. His heartbeat was beating so fast that Hermione was sure that he could go into cardiac arrest.

She ran her free hand through Orion's sleek black hair and began singing softly

.

_How can you see into my eyes like open doors?_

_Leading you down into my core where I've become so numb_

_Without a soul my spirit's sleeping somewhere cold _

_Until you find it there and lead it back home_

_Wake me up inside_

_Wake me up inside_

_Call my name and save me from the dark_

_Bid my blood to run_

_Before I come undone_

_Save me from the nothing I've become_

_Now that I know what I'm without_

_You can't just leave me_

_Breathe into me and make me real_

_Bring me to life_

Orion's breathing slowed and his heartbeat returned to more normal speed for someone in agony. His writhing stopped but he was still biting his tongue against the pain. A strangled sob escaped him as his back arched as Draco's wound finally healed completely.

"Stop crying 'Mione," A voice croaked from behind her, "We will all be fine. Eventually."

Hermione wiped at the tears she didn't even know had formed.

"I could kill you Draco Malfoy. Actually I could kill you both. What were you thinking Draco, you could have died?" Hermione yelled, tears flowing freely across her cheeks.

Draco sat up and threw his legs over the side to face the crying girl.

"Come here 'Mione," He said hugging her quaking form, "What was I thinking, I was thinking that it wouldn't be so bad if I did die. I was also thinking that if I had stayed where I was instead of going to class no one would have known that I had died. I wasn't thinking that Orion would have been able to feel what I couldn't. I didn't think that he would have felt it when I pulled out my father's sword from my stomach. I didn't think that either of you would have cared."

The sound of flesh hitting flesh rang out across the room.

"Of course we would have cared. I am not heartless you know. It's ridiculous that you assume that we wouldn't care. You have so much to live for." Hermione stated angrily.

"Calm down Hermione. If you carry on you might kill him," Orion grimaced, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth if it weren't for the pain he was in, "You do know that you still have broken ribs and possibly a broken nose, don't you?"

"What...Oh...That...That was yesterday's incident...How do you...Right." Draco said quickly.

"Yeah the pain thing." Orion rolled his eyes.

Draco finally looked up and gasped at how crap Orion looked. He was sickly pale with a sticky sheen. Orion's face was also caked with what looked like his own blood. He looked almost dead.

"Yeah, I am betting that I look the same as you mate." Orion said as if reading his mind.

Someone cleared their throat from the door way startling the group.

"Orion, would you mind dropping your defences so that I can talk to you all and Poppy can attend to your wounds?" Dumbledore asked politely.

Orion jumped as if only just realising the floating artillery and let them fall to the floor, scared of the effect they have on him.

"Thank you. Now Draco, do you know who did this to you?" The Headmaster asked seriously, peering at them over his half moon glasses.

Draco contemplated the answer and drank Skele-Gro that had been shoved under his nose by an irate Madame Pomfrey, for his ribs and nose before saying, "Lucius Malfoy, Sir."

Hermione gasped and sat down on the bed next to Draco with Orion on his other side.

"Your father?" Dumbledore enquired a frown upon his face, "Why would your father try to kill you? That's impossible my wards haven't told me that we have an intruder."

Draco glared at the speaker, "Why wouldn't Lucius want me dead? Wards can be broken you know but he was unnoticed because he wasn't there. Crabbe and Goyle are Lucius' servants; they tried to kill me on his orders. I know things about Lucius that would make your head spin, Sir. If it weren't Lucius it probably would have been some other member of Voldies squad or the Slytherins."

They were all stunned into silence. Dumbledore was the first to compose himself.

"Severus, find Crabbe and Goyle and take them to my office immediately, but don't tell them why, make it up, improvise. Poppy call the Minister and tell him to join me in my office. I shall be up shortly," He ordered, "Draco I need to talk to you alone."

Hermione and Orion nodded at Draco before getting off of his bed and walking out of the Infirmary to give them privacy.

"Would you like to tell me what happened over the summer, Draco?" Dumbledore asked softly, his hand on Draco's shoulder.

He thought about it for a moment before answering.

"Yeah. I suppose. The day before school started, Lucius called my down to his office. He said he had a task for me. He said that to get the dark mark I had to get the Death Eaters into the castle and," Draco paused then looked into his Headmasters eyes, "I had to kill you. I reluctantly agreed with the idea that if I agreed then when I was at school he would have no influence over me. My mother came to my room to tell me that I didn't have to do it but my father heard and tried to drag her away. I defended her and I got cursed by Lucius. The pain was indescribable and I passed out, that was the first time he had ever performed a Cruciatus on me. When I woke up I went to find Lucius and I shouted everything I had ever wanted to say at him in that single moment. I let my guard down, I thought he was listening to me, but he wasn't. He believes that I have become soft and that a spot of torture would cure me of that ailment. My mother came in and Lucius soon thought of a better lesson to teach us both for our insolence. He put me under the Imperius curse and I tortured my mother before killing her."

By the end of Draco's little speech he was almost whispering.

"Merlin. I have always believed your father to be cruel, but this is almost as bad as Voldemort himself. Not to worry he shall be caught." Dumbledore exclaimed into the silence.

"He is NOT my father. He is simply my sperm donor," Draco spat, glaring at the floor, "When are you taking me to Azkaban then, Sir?"

"Heavens, what do you mean, you are innocent?"

"Hardly," Draco scoffed, "I killed the only person who ever loved me and you say I am innocent."

"You didn't kill Narcissa, Lucius did. You know your mother would never blame you for this. I will set up a room for you to live in this year that is away from both Slytherins and Gryffindors alike. I am sure you will find it accommodating, it will adapt to your needs, for example, if Hermione and Orion show up to stay the night, beds will appear. It will be pass-worded and will become your own house that depends on the amount of people who take cover in your Common Room..."

Draco interrupted, "Why would anyone want to hide in my Common Room?"

"Ah Draco, you are not the only one suffering. There are many who will need your protection this year, people who will fight for you when the final battle commences. This school will tear itself apart without you. We need you Draco," Dumbledore said cryptically before getting up, "You also get to choose the name of your house, so choose wisely."

"In Lucem. That's what I will call it. It means the light within."

"Good name. I will be here tomorrow morning to escort you to your new accommodation. The two outside are welcome to stay here until then. Look after Orion; he is more important than you know."

"Who is he?"

"Only Orion can tell you that as it is not mine to tell."

Dumbledore left leaving Draco to ponder over his words.


	6. Founders

**Chapter 6 - Founders**

Orion peered around the door, once Dumbledore had left, to see Draco sat on the side of his bed, lost in thought.

"Why do you suppose Lucius is trying to kill his son, 'Mione?"

"Who knows. I have only met that evil man once, properly, and he is not the type of man you want to come across on a cold dark night. There is something about him that screams dangerous and insane, almost as much Voldemort does. Whatever the reason is, it's not going to have that much substantial backing to it." Hermione said before walking in to the room and sitting next to Draco.

She put her arm over his shoulder and hugged him tight as a tear flowed down his cheek.

"Thanks Hermione for saving my life," Draco exclaimed pressing his lips to Hermione's forehead, "And what the hell was that Orion?"

"How the fuck should I know? One minute I am walking through the corridors on the way to Herbology and the next I feel like I have cut my wrist somehow, and man that shit hurts. Then a few minutes later I feel like I have been stabbed twice and I collapse throwing up everywhere. Then the pain lessens a bit but I start getting tired. So I came to look for you two, too see if you had any idea what was going on, but the pain was increasing with each step I took. The closer I got to you the more I felt like I was dying. Jesus Draco, you are really screwed up. I don't particularly want to go through that again. I love you man, but if you do something like that again I will kill you myself." Orion threatened with a lopsided grin on his face.

"Nice to know," Draco smirked, "But I wasn't stabbed twice, I pulled out the knife."

Hermione grimaced, "Great, you really are syco."

"Yeah, but you love me for it." Draco winked.

Orion was holding his hand over his mouth, not knowing whether he was going to throw up or laugh his head off.

"Eww, guys get a room." He settled with easing into the casual banter he was not used to.

"We shall...Actually we will get a whole common room, dorm and bathroom courtesy of Dumbledore himself." Draco slipped in casually as he examined the latest addition to the scar population on his body.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked slowly.

"Dumbledore has decided to set up our own house, that will be used as a safe house to all those who need it, but he said that it will expand to accommodate all those who want to join our house." Draco shrugged at the bewildered expressions on their faces.

"You are kidding me...This is soooooo cool," Hermione exclaimed, clapping her hands like a retarded seal, "I have never read anything like this in Hogwarts, A History. I don't think this has ever happened before."

"Probably not. I mean I wasn't here before. Being in a house full of people who hate me could be really bad as I could easily kill them without noticing, I imagine their would be a lot of people upset if that were to happen." Orion shivered, imagining the screams of his house mates as they died by his hand.

"Do you mean those knives you created were made with the intent to kill?" Hermione queried quietly.

"Yeah...I suppose...They are mainly for defence...But I can't gain any control over them, they are influenced by my emotions after all. If I am angry or in pain, then I can automatically transfigure whatever is around me into a weapon, but if I keep them up as a shield, they drain me, and the first and last time I did it I almost died," Orion confessed slowly, his expression soon turned dark, "So did my foster father, I just wish I had actually killed him."

"What do you mean you wish you killed your foster father? How did you almost die? I mean Dumbledore mentioned that you didn't have to put up with the pain of another last time, what did he mean?..." Hermione ranted, full of questions waiting to burst forth, before Orion interrupted her.

"Last time I only had to put up with my just my own pain, today I had to put up with mine and yours, Draco. I am still healing from my injuries from the holidays. Apparently when I apparated inside the castle I was losing so much blood they thought I was going to die. My ribs were crushed, my legs and arms were broken, my heart and lungs had been punctured and I was drowning in my own blood. I woke up in this bed, actually, and almost killed Dumbledore and McGonagall purely because I was in pain and I didn't know them. Dumbledore healed my internal wounds but conventional magical medicine wouldn't work on the rest because of the extent of my injuries, so I have to use muggle ones for the pain and wait for my body to heal. Which is why today's episode hurt more than it should of, I was healing well, but now I think it may have gone backwards," Orion shrugged, then cringed as his ribs creaked, "I am not really ready to talk about that episode."

" My god. You do know that's impossible don't you? You cant apparate inside the castles perimeter." Hermione gasped.

"I know, that's what Dumbledore said at the time, but I think they were more focused on keeping me alive."

"Man...I am sorry." Draco exclaimed turning away from them.

"Why? You hardly asked for those bumbling idiots to kill you?" Orion said in disbelief.

Draco cringed, "Actually, technically I did. I knew what was going to happen, yet I told them to deliver my 'father's' message'. You know, this really was more of a message for me than you realise. That knife was the same blade that killed my only friend."

"When...How...What happened?" Orion choked out.

"The only thing she ever did wrong was becoming friends with me in the first place. Melissa was a muggle and I was only seven, how was I supposed to fight off my own father? He plunged that blade into her chest, not caring if she had a family or if I were watching. This was just to show me that he thinks I am filth too." Draco laughed a strangled sob.

His two friends put their arms around him, comforting each other as they sank into their memories.

Not wanting to sleep alone in the white sterile environment, Orion and Draco pushed together the two beds, after Scorgifying the dried blood and salty tears off of the sheets and themselves, and settled in for the night. Hermione felt safe and comfortable for the first time in a long while in between her two new friends regardless of the tiny space they shared.

"Good night everyone." Orion spoke to the pair who shared the beds with him.

"Night." Draco replied.

When they heard nothing from their friend they turned to look at her, and found her sleeping peacefully, a smile on her lips. The boys chuckled before settling in for the night. Draco fell asleep a couple of hours after, leaving Orion to wait for the sun to rise on his own.

Hermione was the first to rise in the morning and she was startled to find two hands on her hip. She felt hair tickling her nose that did not belong to herself and she could feel someone breathing evenly on her neck. Hermione opened her eyes and almost jumped when she saw sleek black hair barely an inch away from her eyes. The bright light emanating from the ceilings aggravated Hermione's pounding headache and she closed her eyes. She slowly remembered the events from the day before as she waited for her new friends to wake up. The boy in front of her whimpered, his forehead wrinkled in worry, Hermione brushed the hair out of Draco's eyes and he relaxed into her touch, breathing out a sigh of relief.

"Mornin' 'Mione. How come Draco gets all the loving?" Orion breathed right next to her ear.

Hermione shivered before answering, "Because he was in pain and he is asleep, unlike you who seems happy to frighten unsuspecting girls who happen to share your bed."

She rolled over and winked at the other man she literally slept with, catching Draco's hand before it fell from her hip.

"Good to see that your wit is unaffected by the current events." Orion replied with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Are you alright though?" Hermione asked slowly, rubbing her thumb over Draco's knuckles trying to sooth him as he moaned in pain in his sleep.

"Not really...I don't understand what is happening to me. I don't know why I can create this weird weapon shield. I don't know why I can feel when Draco's in pain, when he, himself, can't feel it. I don't know why my foster father...I just don't know..." Orion sighed as he looked at the ceiling, not making eye contact with Hermione.

"What happened with your foster father?" Hermione said softly, brushing her fingertips along his cheekbone.

Orion grabbed her hand and held it to his skin and closed his eyes as he replied, "A lot happened 'Mione, but I can't tell you. I will tell you one day, but I just can't, not now."

Hermione contemplated this for a second before answering, "Okay, I get that, probably more than you know at the moment."

Orion opened his eyes and stared into Hermione's chocolate coloured orbs with his eyebrow raised.

"I shall tell you, you and Draco, when I am ready." Hermione answered his gaze.

Behind her, Draco groaned again, his brow furrowed. Undistinguishable mumbling slowly became louder and more coherent. His head shook from side to side.

"He's been doing this all night." Orion stated, concern in his eyes.

"No...Please...I will do anything...Please..." Draco mumbled, pain lacing his tone.

Hermione placed one hand on Draco's cheek, trying to coax him out of his bad dream.

"Draco...Please darlin'...Wake up..."

Orion walked over to Draco's side of the makeshift double bed and ran his fingers through Draco's black hair.

"...No...Please Father...Please..."

Draco's voice steadily got louder and louder till he was almost screaming. His whole body was trying to fight off his nightmare and his breathing had become erratic.

Hermione straddled Draco's flailing body and held down his arms.

"...NO...PLEASE DONT HURT HER..."

Hermione quietly sang in his ear, her lips barely an inch away from his skin.

Draco's movements quietened and his mumbling ceased as he began to stir. He opened his eyes to see a female form straddling his person. He flinched as Draco for a split second thought it to be Pansy with her black hair, but breathed out a sigh of relief when he realised it was Hermione hovering above him.

"As much as I love waking up to you on top of me, what are you doing?" Draco whispered, trying to shake off the perfect recall of his tortured childhood.

"Waking you up before you killed yourself." Orion said simply staring off into space, still running his hand through Draco's hair.

Draco looked inquisitively towards Hermione who hadn't moved from her compromising position above him.

"You would have probably strangled yourself with the bed sheets," Hermione stated grinning, "Good to have you back."

"Morning to you too," Draco said with a wink, "Orion, I know you would love to have my hair but please man you are messing it up," Ignoring the fact that I made him calmer.

"But you already had bed hair." Orion replied as he slowly resurface from his memories.

"No I had just waken up sexy hair, but now you have screwed it up."

Draco laughed at the bemused expression on Orion's face.

"Aww...Draco,Baby, it still looks sexy." Hermione said seductively as she playfully grounded her hips into his.

Draco bit his lip to stop himself from moaning in pleasure from the fiction between them.

Hermione chuckled and kissed him on the tip of his nose before jumping off of the bed and walking over to where her school bag was.

"That was mean and uncalled for, you minx." Draco moaned, ignoring Orion who was bent over laughing at his misfortune.

"Yeah yeah...We have other things to worry about like when Dumbledore comes he is going to realise that we all slept on one slightly weird bed, which he may think was a little odd or suspicious. I don't really want Dumbledore on my back. Also we have got to have breakfast before he comes because we didn't have lunch or dinner, and I'm slightly hungry. Do you have an house elf here?"

Draco shrugged, "Just Dobby, but technically he is not mine, he's free."

Hermione raised her eyebrow, "I thought Dobby was only loyal to Potter."

"Nope, I was nice to him at home especially when Lucius told me not to. Dobby likes me," Draco replied a grin graced his lips, "Dobby."He called.

A loud crack reverberated around the room as the small elf appeared out of nowhere.

"Ah...Young Master Draco, Miss Hermione and Master Orion. Dobby has been waiting to see you Master Draco. He had heard what his father had done. Dobby helped Master Orion escape with his mother when he were a baby," Dobby sniffled, his eyes rimmed with tears, "What can Dobby do for you?"

Hermione and Draco turned to look at Orion, who shrugged with a startled, yet confused expression on his face.

"Right Dobby, would it be possible for you to bring us some breakfast, we are starving?" Draco asked politely, flipping him a coin for his troubles from his trouser pocket.

"Oh thank you...Dobby shall bring it straight to you..." Dobby cried out in joy.

"Dobby please don't tell Harry." Hermione interjected before he could disappear.

"Mister Potter has changed Miss and not for the better." He responded eerily and then disappeared to find them food.

Moments later Dobby returned with a silver tray overflowing with food and set it down on one of the vacant beds.

"Dumbledore requested I bring you this," Dobby slipped a folded piece of parchment out from beside a pot of hot chocolate and passed it to Draco, "And I thought you may need a clean pair of clothes."

Dobby clicked his fingers and three sets of freshly pressed uniforms appeared floating in the air on black silk coat hangers.

"Thank you Dobby." Draco said, unfolding the letter he believed to hold his warrant for arrest and breathing a sigh of relief, he read out Dumbledore's note.

_To the new members of 'In Lucem',_

_I would to remind you that I will collecting you from the Hospital Wing after you have had your breakfast and have changed into your house uniform._

_But before that you will need to agree on your house symbol, colours and mascot. This will then appear in your uniform, in your house common room and on the house flag above your table in the Great Hall._

_Happy brainstorming,_

_Albus Dumbledore_

Orion was first to utter the words they were all thinking, "Awesome, this is my kind of homework."

Smiling the trio looked at each other and began spouting ideas left, right and centre.

"Colours?"

"I like red, like a blood red, but that's too close to Gryfindor, and I'm definitely not compromising so that we have pink." Draco shuddered.

"Too right," Orion said shaking his head in disgust, "We can't have any colour that could link us to the other houses."

"What about black?" Hermione suggested, "I mean it's a colour that links us to each other. We are all fighting the darkness in our lives and what we survive only makes us stronger, we all love our spunky black hair and eye/guy-liner, so I propose black should be our house colour."

They all paused for a second contemplating how dark their rooms where going to be.

Grinning the boys replied with "Wicked."

"Mascot?"

"I have one. The Phoenix, the tears heal, which I find quite symbolic for us lot. And it was my only friends favourite mythical animal," Draco said quietly, all traces of happiness gone, "And it's my mother's favourite too. I can't believe she is dead."

Hermione and Orion each put an arm around Draco seeing his pain.

"We would be honoured to have a reminder of your friend and mother with us always. They were good people." Orion said sincerely, "Are we supposed to draw our house arms, because I am not feeling very creative at the moment?"

"I will draw it, then we can see Dumbledore about it to see if it is appropriate." Hermione said conjuring parchment and muggle pencils and started drawing.

Draco peeled off the shirt he was wearing to show the beautiful phoenix over his heart to Hermione for inspiration.

"How come I didn't notice that before?" Hermione asked suddenly.

"It's new, for one, and the only time I think you have ever seen my chest I was bleeding out on to the floor. I think you had other things on your mind than checking me out." Draco chuckled, running his fingertips across the ink under his skin, thinking of the two Tuck brothers he met over the summer.

Their house crest was soon finished. An ominous black background threatened to swallow you in, if it weren't for the blood red phoenix parting the sea of darkness. The warm coloured plumage seemed to shimmer when you moved, but it was in fact each word that carved a single feather on the beautiful singing bird. Each feather had a different meaning, a different word that shaped the trio's dark and sometimes oppressive world.

Numb.

Pain.

Hate.

Anger.

Darkness.

Evil.

Father.

Mother.

Love.

Comfort.

Friend.

Acceptance.

Home.

These words would change with the mood of the entire house. If more people were to join their house, the feathers would get smaller to include at least one symbolic message from each of the members of The Light Within.

**A.N. - Sorry for not putting this up sooner, but I am writing all of these up from scratch whilst trying to complete my last year at senior school, so it is GCSE's all the way...yay ¬¬ and I have had a really crap month already :/**

**So please review, make my eight days a little bit better**


	7. Sanctuary

**A.N. - Sorry it has been a while but this chapter is about half of the previous story in length, so it took a while. Also I have had tests and stuff to do, as well as family shizzle, so please don't take it out on me.**

**All my reviews so far have been great, so a massive thank you. **

**IMPORTANT - The flashback in **_**ITALICS**_** is probably not something you light stomached readers would like to read so beware.**

**Don't like, don't read, simples.**

**Chapter 7 - Sanctuary**

A loud crack rebounded off of the walls startling them out of gazing at their own handiwork.

Dobby looked at the three friends all gathered on one small bed, cross-legged and content in the presence of each other. Dobby had never seen Draco look so carefree, but he knew that behind those stormy grey eyes you would see a boy falling to pieces, he knew that if you actually looked, really looked, at the teenagers sat on that bed, happy to just be, you would find the same thing in each and every one of them.

He clicked his fingers and the now cold food had disappeared but was quickly replaced with food for brunch.

"Dumbledore is waiting for you to eat." Dobby reminded them sheepishly, before disappearing again into thin air.

"Draco, why has Dobby given us desserts for brunch?" Hermione inquired her eyebrow raised.

Draco picked up a large slice of Honeycomb Cheesecake before replying with a shrug, "Because at Malfoy Manor the only thing I would eat after intense pain or almost dying was deserts, anything sugary and fatty."

"So extreme comfort foods?" She verified.

"Yeah basically..." Draco started before being interrupted by Orion.

"And because they just taste soooo good." Orion drawled, exaggeratedly licking his lips, a forkful of Chocolate Fudge Cake inches away from his salivating mouth.

Hermione flicked a blob of Whipped Cream off of her fruit covered waffles, towards Orion who caught it in his mouth.

"Eww..." Hermione cried, chuckling under her breath.

"Thanks 'Mione that is just what this sugary mass needed." He replied with a wink.

Draco let out an uncharacteristic snort of humour as his mouth was full of Cheesecake.

Orion and Hermione both raised their eyebrows looking at Draco in mock disgust.

"Yes Draco very suave." Orion said smoothly, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

They both waited in silence as Draco swallowed his mouthful, his expression stern.

"Suave is my middle name." Draco drawled, his voice full of false sincerity.

They all shared a look before bursting out in laughter.

"Sure." Hermione snickered.

The food soon disappeared leaving only a jug of milk to wash away the sticky sweet taste in their mouths.

The trio got up off the tiny bed and examined their new uniforms. The whole style was completely different. The new uniform's screamed Steampunk. For the boys there was a tight fitting black and dark grey pinstriped trousers, a fitted black waistcoat, a blood red button-down shirt and a black and dark red striped house tie, all complete with brass buttons and a intricately cut brass pocket watch. A heavy black woollen winter cloak and fitted cotton tail coat lay to the side of each set of uniforms. For Hermione there was a black ruffled skirt, similar to the dress she bought on the first day of school, a blood red blouse and the compulsory house tie. Also she had a black under-bust corset, with brass fittings and red lace, that she would wear over the tie and a pocket watch hanging from a long necklace chain, a long fitted black tail coat and a thick winter coat.

Pulling one of the thick hospital screens across the line of sight from the door, they quickly changed into their more comfortable uniforms.

"Wow, you guys look hot." Hermione exclaimed.

Draco rolled his eyes dramatically, "Always the tone of surprise."

Orion slapped him lightly over the top of the head and replied to the comment, "Thank you 'Mione, you look stunning. Steampunk suits you."

"What he means to say is that you look damn fine." Draco amended.

"Ah thanks my boys, I love the compliments coming my way. Do me up will you?" Hermione said referring to the lacing at the back of her corset.

Draco slid Hermione's hair over her shoulder so that it was out of his way, brushing his fingertips across her bare skin under her neck making tiny goose bumps erupt on her flesh, before doing up the lace on her outfit.

The screen slid back to its original position with a swish of Orion's hand.

"Shoes?" Hermione asked, "I don't mind walking round in bare feet, but we will be back here at the end of the day due to broken toes if we don't."

Draco nodded in agreement and clicked his fingers.

Dobby appeared in a bang.

"Hi Dobby. Would it be possible for you to find us some shoes that go with our uniforms?" Draco asked slowly.

"Right away Mister Draco." Disappearing again in a crack.

Seconds later he returned with two pairs of knee high black leather boots with brass buckles running up the sides and a single pair of high heeled thigh-high black leather boots with buckles and laces.

"Master Alerion Tuck left you a message with Dobby."

Dobby handed a grinning Draco a piece of black paper with red writing.

_Draco,_

_Congratulations on becoming one of the youngest ever founders of a house in history. _

_Say hi to your two friends for us. They are very important so don't piss them off too much. Don't push them away either, it may seem like a good idea at the time but we all need you outcasts as much as everyone doesn't want to believe it, we will need you in the end._

_The boots are free on one condition, that you get your fellow founders to come visit us. We are getting bored so hurry up. Albus is a good friend so I'm sure he will let you come to the stores. _

_If you are wondering who gave Dumbledore the idea of the uniform it was Andy, I was a bit sceptical at first but now I believe that you three will look epic. God we would love to see the reaction of the school when you walk into the Great Hall for the first time, I shall ask Dumbledore for a visit._

_Remember you promised to write to tell us everything and seeing as though things are starting to become weird you will be writing lots._

_See you promptly dudes (and dudette),_

_Andy and Alerion Tuck_

Draco chuckled, "Cryptic bastards."

"You talking about us?" Two deep voices called from the door way.

"No why would I be talking about you, you aren't important enough to appear in this mind." He said sarcastically at the brothers standing in the doorway.

They grinned, "Great to see you too, Draco. I see you have made a speedy recovery from almost guaranteed death. We are glad that your father didn't succeed."

They hugged each other.

"You look much better than you did when we saw you two days ago." Alerion stated.

Orion was confused, "But he looks worse than he did yesterday, no offence mate."

Andy nodded, "Yeah he does, but surely you can see that there is more life in his eyes. When Draco came into our stores, he was dead inside, he didn't respond to the pain of having a muggle tattoo or having a piercing like anyone normal would. There was no emotion in his eyes, the only glimmer of emotion we saw was when he burnt all of his clothes, his mouth twitched, but there was still nothing. But now Draco is being sarcy and there are emotions in his eyes, even if he can't feel some of them."

"I am still here you know." Draco exclaimed rolling his eyes good-naturedly.

Hermione snorted, "Yes how could we forget we are in the presence of the founder Draco. I must apologise profusely for our considerable lack of acknowledging you, Sir." She made an exaggerated curtsy.

Draco stuck his nose in the air, "Yes, apology accepted peasant." He waved his hand, shooing Hermione away as if she were a bad smell.

Grinning Hermione retorted, "Peasant? Really Draco darlin'?"

"Yup." He said popping the 'P' and winking in her direction.

"Guys seriously get a room." Orion cringed half-heartedly.

"We are in one." Draco rolled his eyes at his silliness.

They all chuckled.

"So how do you feel about your uniforms?" Andy asked wiggling his eyebrows.

The trio began gushing over the chic Steampunk style.

"I am so glad that I don't have to cover up who I am when wearing our uniform." Hermione exclaimed, her eyes lighting up at the prospect of being herself.

"It's wicked, but do you think my bum looks big in this?" Orion asked seriously, twisting round to look at his derrière in the full length mirror hanging on the wall by the doors.

Draco laughed then pushed him out of the way of the mirror and tidied his hair, sweeping it to the side.

Orion landed on the floor and pouted at the brute who had shoved him to the floor.

The two brothers giggled at the bittersweet expression on Orion's face.

Hermione laughed at them all as she held out her hand and pulled the still pouting boy off of the floor.

"Is our whole house going to have the same uniform?" Draco asked suddenly.

"No, this is your uniform for being the founders. Your other house members will have a toned down Steampunk uniform, not so spunky," Alerion grinned, his smile turned serious as he continued, "But you have to be careful, there are many people in this school who would love to see you three dead, and having the opportunity to become a founder in this school at such a young age will be one of the reasons for this. Your uniform will just shout out the fact that you are different and that you are more important than them in many ways. Be careful who you trust this year as trust might be one of our downfalls in the upcoming war."

"And how do you know this?" Hermione asked slightly scared off what this could mean for them.

"I simply just know shit," Alerion shrugged, "It's not like Trelawney, because she zones out once in a blue moon to give a real prophecy, but I just get this nagging feeling which tells me important things, things I need to know, more than once a day. We, as brothers, have other powers too, but these you will have to figure out."

Andy grinned, wiggling his eyebrows as if daring them to ask.

The founders groaned. Hermione turned around to look at the mirror. She pulled out a small pencil stub of eye-liner from her pocket and applied a thick black line under her eye.

"Oooo..." Orion exclaimed, slipping the pencil from her hand before using it himself, "I haven't had the chance to buy a new one since I got here."

Alerion rolled his eyes and conjured two black guy-liners from his shop before handing one to Orion and the other to Draco.

"You can't really do much with that tiny thing." Andy uttered rolling his eyes, before conjuring a separate eye-liner for Hermione.

Hermione giggled whilst Draco applied a thin line of black to his eyes.

"Hey...We look awesome...The eye-liner definitely finishes this outfit off." Orion exclaimed in excitement.

"I see you like your new uniform," Dumbledore's voice emanated from behind them, "I have something for you three, as the founders of the new house."

The startled trio swung round quickly to see their headmaster grinning at them.

Dumbledore brought his hands from behind his back and swung his arms in an puzzling curve. They nearly jumped out of their skins as they felt cold metal encase their upper arm, or in Hermione's case cold metal wrapped around her neck. Hermione pushed down her collar to find a worn metal choker with the house arms encased by wings, not a bird, but more of an angel's wings. The boys pushed up their sleeves to find an antique style bangle clasping their forearms with the same emblem engraved in it.

The Tuck brothers nodded in approval, "Very symbolic." They said cryptically, but not elaborating.

The trio raised their eyebrows at the pair's statement, but didn't question it.

"The governors have decided that your house needs a head, even if it has founders...So we are going to have two heads, Andy and Alerion will you become the heads for the new house and the advisor for your friends?" Dumbledore asked slowly as if giving them time to adjust to their duties.

"Hell yeah," They yelled, high-fiving each other, "We shall definitely do it."

The pair reminded Hermione of Fred and George Weasley, she sniffled quietly remembering the family atmosphere she will no longer be able to participate in.

"With that settled now would be a good time to introduce yourselves in the Great Hall as it is now lunchtime." Dumbledore said trying to defuse the joyous feeling spreading through the sterile infirmary.

Alerion uttered a dark chuckle as he grinned, waving his hand towards the door beckoning everyone out.

The group stood outside the closed hall doors. Hermione stood between Draco and Orion, linking arms with them both. Alerion and Andy stood either side of the founders waiting to open the doors in sync for maximum impact. Dumbledore had already entered the room to calm the students.

The brothers turned to look at them and gave them an all knowing grin before flinging the doors open wide. The trio took a deep breath before powering their way through the archway.

There was immediate uproar, people began shouting, whispering, staring, pointing, crying.

"Eww...They look like bloody emo's." A boy shouted from Ravenclaw, incorrectly identifying their new style.

"Who the fuck are they?" Potter exclaimed.

"How come they get to wear a different uniform, that is sooooo unfair?" A blond girl whined from Slytherin.

"OMG...It's Granger, Malfoy and Black, look at them hanging off that slut." Ginny screamed, making Hermione flinch.

Everyone stared at them with disgust as the school population realised just who was intruding on their sacred ground

"Your father's going to kill you Malfoy." An unknown female spoke. Draco shuddered but carried on walking to their house table that was in front of the Professor's table.

"Your father already warned you once about fraternising with the enemy, yet here you are. Your father will kill you Malfoy mark my words," Goyle had stood from the position he had taken, shovelling food into his mouth, to sneer at Draco, "Your mother can't save you now." He laughed, not noticing how the room had turned silent as they all turned to look at him.

Draco's eyes had darkened and his lips slid into a murderous growl, the whole school population could see how dangerous he had become in that spilt second and tried to make themselves as small and non-threatening as possible. Draco took a step towards his attacker.

"I have already told you not to talk about my mother, who knows what sick, perverted, Death Eater thoughts you have running around in your mind about my dead mum," Everyone in the room gasped not knowing of the death of Narcissa Malfoy, "Many people know that you and Tweedledee over there tried and failed to kill me on both Lucius' and Voldemort's orders, yet you are still here and alive. Why are you still here fucker?" Draco growled.

Goyle and Crabbe barely contained themselves; the glares the trio were giving them were enough to put the fear of God into even the toughest, war hardened of men.

Crabbe steeled himself up against the glares and stupidly retorted, "You can't prove anything _Malfoy._ Voldemort would not trouble himself killing you, you are not a threat to him and never will be. You just aren't strong enough. What's the point of trying to make us believe that you are going to attack us when we already know how much of a wimp you are when your mother died you did nothing and we have already rendered you unconscious twice." He clapped a hand over his mouth as he realised his mistake.

Orion and Draco both growled, their eyes black, they pushed Hermione slightly behind them to protect her.

"Oh shit." Alerion gasp as he suddenly knew the outcome of this scene.

Andy and Alerion each grabbed hold of one of Hermione's arms in case she were to move in front of her new friends.

"Get the fuck out of here now if you value your life." Orion snarled for his friend.

"Why should we listen to you, you are as much as a wimp as he is, I bet you have never even felt real pain?," Goyle sneered, dropping his gaze to his fingernails before returning his attention to the pair, "Do you really think you can harm me, especially in front of your darling headmaster?" The dumb duo chuckled at their smarts.

Orion cocked his head to the side, an evil smile played on his lips showing how much he was enjoying this.

"Actually Goyle, they have every right to threaten you and harm you, but you wouldn't know that because even they don't fully understand what is going on at the moment." Dumbledore replied, a strange glint in his eyes.

Orion and Draco showed no recognition of hearing Dumbledore's speech, but grinned when they saw the look of terror pass over their faces.

"Your father and the Dark Lord will kill you if you harm us." Crabbe stated seriously.

Draco laughed, his voice held no emotion as he turned his blank look towards the pair.

"My god, you are really going to let them get away with this. It wasn't as if his mother needs defending against, it's not as if she was nice or nothing," Ginny asked Dumbledore, but sneered when she received no answer, "Wow Hermione, you really do have everyone wrapped around her little finger, you are such a slut..."

Draco flung his hand out in red-heads direction, not even looking. She screamed for a second before hitting the back wall hard and knocking herself unconscious. Everyone ignored Potter's pleas for aid and concentrated on the confrontation in front of them, Ronald didn't even flinch when he saw her body fly through the air.

"Do you really think I care what those bastards think?" Draco asked slowly as if to a small child, "If it weren't for Lucius trying to kill me it would be for other reasons like morals."

Hermione stood behind them startled at this confrontation, knowing by the look on her friend's faces that there would probably be bloodshed and she feared for them as the justice system was so warped that they would be the ones punished, even if they were only following their instincts.

"You are just like your father." Goyle spat disgusted and attempted to walk to the door with his companion.

Orion slammed the doors shut as he closed his eyes. His instincts screaming at him that there was evil in the room and he transfigured his shield of weaponry from the many platters and goblets in the room to protect his friends.

Andy and Alerion gaped at the array of weaponry, the sheer amount of energy needed to do just a small transfiguration was huge, but to see that at this size was overwhelming. Orion's normal shield consisted of well over two hundred different instruments of war.

Draco grinned when he saw the sharp instruments of war float around the room. He plucked one of the short daggers out of the sky and examined it slowly before throwing it toward the Great Hall doors.

Goyle jumped when he saw the weapon fly towards him, he tried to move out of the way but found himself unable to move. The knife slid cleanly through his uniform and pinned him to the door. Goyle breathed out a sigh of relief when he saw that it hadn't cut his flesh and pulled the dagger from being embedded in the wood and dropped it to the floor where it turned back into a silver plate.

"Is that the best you can do?" Goyle taunted, stupidly beaconing Crabbe over to help open the heavy oak doors.

Orion and Draco looked at each other and grinned, the same demonic expression graced their faces. Draco grabbed the closest weapons and threw them one by one towards the doors. Orion used his telekinesis to direct them to a specific point.

Weapons hurtled at the cowering pair who covered themselves with their arms. One by one Orion's creations flew past the boys not drawing blood, twanging when they stuck into the hard wood. It really was a sight to see.

Soon the storm passed, Draco and Orion stopped attacking the cowardly pair, knowing that the pair was unharmed, yet grinned at their handiwork. They hi-fived seeing that their job was done. Hermione hugged them glad that they didn't spill any blood.

Goyle was the first to regain his senses and stood quickly. This movement caused the now shredded material that hung from his torso to fall to the floor. He was so frightened of the demonic duo that he didn't notice the tiny scraps of fabric slide and show the whole school his Dark Mark. Crabbe stood too, the same thing happened, slips of cloth fell to the floor. Two new Dark Marks were shown to the world.

A girl screamed and started to sob uncontrollably.

"Oh please be quiet Cho, they aren't all that dangerous." Draco said rolling his eyes.

Harry spoke up, "How come they knew that Crabbe and Goyle had the Dark Mark, they must be Death Eaters too?"

Dumbledore stood at the professor's table, the hall quietened, the whispers and the glares stopped. "They are the founders of the new house, En Lucem. They are definitely not Death Eaters and do not have Dark Marks. These three who you have distanced from yourselves are important in more ways than one. This year I beg of you, DO NOT under any circumstances antagonise any one of them because it would probably mean sever injuries if you are lucky and their actions would be supported by the law."

"But there is nothing special about them," the Golden One grumbled, angry that his headmaster was protecting his enemy.

"That is where you are wrong." Dumbledore answered glaring at his ex-prised pupil.

Potter scoffed and shook his head in disbelief, "You are truly an insane old man if you believe that."

For the first time since they had arrived in the hall, Andy spoke up, "Potter, I do believe we haven't met yet. I'm not a teacher so I'm sure I can teach you a lesson. Take that staff out of your arse and look around you. You are surrounded by people who are the same as you. Some of them have fought against Voldemort and survived, like you, some of them have lost their families because of Voldemort, like you. Just because you survived the killing curse doesn't mean that you are better than everyone else, it just means that your mother had brains. You are not the one who is going to lead us into the final battle so stop acting like you are the son of god and act your age, you spoilt prat." Andy turned his back to the childish teen.

Harry whipped hid wand out of his side pocket and pointed it Andy's retreating form. But Draco was faster and shouted 'Stupefy' before Harry had even opened his mouth.

"Thanks dude." Andy said as he saw Potter's unconscious form crumple to the floor.

"No problem." He replied as he turned back to the dumb duo.

The two were facing the door, scrambling and clawing at the hinges, trying to escape and run back to their master with their tails between their legs.

Draco cleared his throat to gain the attention of the pair.

Startled Goyle let out a soft scream but Crabbe remained as composed as he could.

"What," Crabbe snarled, "So I tried to kill you, I am sure it would be a big surprise to all of you, I would have succeeded if it weren't for you being a bloody freak."

Draco shrugged dramatically, "I am sure it isn't that surprising, after all, you're a right foul git. I told Dumbledore that it was Lucius via you, and believe it or not he trusts me."

Crabbe grinned, "Was that before or after you told him you killed your own mother?"

"No." Alerion whispered, his face contorted in agony.

Draco's playful demeanour quickly turned cold. Candles flickered with an unseen wind making the room more eerie as the aura in the Great Hall screamed with doom. The inhabitants flinched as the room grew colder much like when a Dementor is close by. Puffs of condensation were rising from the mouths of the gathered. The room was silent except for breathing and this scared the dumb duo more than they had been before. A loud growl could be heard coming from Draco's chest that steadily got louder and louder until not even the whimpers being emitted by Crabbe and Goyle could be heard. His eyes morphed into black endless pits that made Goyle scream and being clawing at the doors like a caged animal, leaving bloody marks where his fingertips had ripped off.

"Shit...Everyone who doesn't want to die hit the deck!" Alerion shouted as he practically threw himself to the floor, the rest of the school followed suit.

A pulse of energy blasted across the room in a ring wave, Draco being at the epicentre with Hermione and Orion both holding his sides to keep him grounded were protected. Andy wasn't so lucky, he was struck hard across the chest and flung across the hall, knocking him out. Crabbe and Goyle were both hit the hardest, they struck the wall with enough force to make to a small crater in the solid stone wall. The sickening sound of bones breaking reverberated around the room making most flinch. The members of En Lucem didn't react at all, they were more focused on Draco, who was emitting a continuous animalistic growl of rage. His black eyes were filled with anguish as he collapsed on the floor shaking.

The school remained where they were, lying on the floor, scared that Draco would unleash his anger on them.

Dumbledore stood and started giving out instructions, "Snape, I need you to show the Tuck's to the new house common room. Alerion, wake up your brother, and escort your house back to their new home."

"This is why you do not antagonise any of them, as they are more powerful than you know. Detentions for all who uttered a word against them today," Dumbledore said, anger lacing his tone, "Everyone back to their own common rooms now that is an order."

The Great Hall cleared quicker than it had done when the troll had been set loose in the First Year by Professor Quirrell.

Alerion stood over his brothers waking form.

"You are an idiot Andy," He said hitting him sharply over the head, "You know to do what I say in times like these."

Andy grumbled as he stood, swaying slightly, "That hurt...a lot."

"I know." Alerion replied wincing as he healed his brother's wounds.

Between them they picked up Draco's quaking form. His eyes were glazed over as he remembered how the life left his only loving parents eyes. The brothers followed Snape to their new house, carrying his unresponsive body with the other founders trailing behind.

When they got to the entrance Hermione found that it was much like the door for the Room of Requirements except that it appeared for them without having to think of it.

"Wow," Orion breathed, "Dumbledore doesn't do it by half does he."

Snape looked confused for a moment before his face returned to its normal calm expression, "You can see the door?"

They all nodded as Hermione put her hand on the door handle to open it. The handle warmed at her touch and sprang open to reveal a slight slope downwards that led to their common room. En Lucem entered their new house leaving Snape looking at the stone wall, in which they disappeared, in curiosity and sadness.

The room they entered was dark. The walls themselves were a slate colour, not quite true black, with blood red trimmings. The plush carpet was also blood red and was dotted with black furnishings. Comfy black snugglas and tub chairs surrounded the open fire. Two doors led off of the common room, one labelled 'Founders' and the other 'Bathroom'.

Orion opened the 'Founders' door and found a private lounge with a shared bathroom and three bedroom doors leading off of the room, each had their own symbol on it, a dragon for Draco, a wolf for Orion and a sphinx for Hermione. There were two large stained oak book cases leant against the walls. The carpet was black and much more plush than in the common room, and there was a small sound system hidden in the corner with speakers placed around the room for complete surround sound. A flat screen television was hidden behind a moveable tapestry with their respectable room guards frolicking joyfully on.

The dragon growled as Orion approached the door, but swiftly let him through upon seeing the state of his ward. Alerion laid Draco down in the dragon guarded room and then re-entered the private lounge.

"What the hell happened in the Great Hall, one minute we are walking in getting abused, next second I feel like I'm going to explode and then I feel like I'm dying for a split second before he collapsed?" Orion said frustrated pacing.

Andy walked over to him and put his hands over Orion's shoulders to calm him down.

"You were probably feeling Draco's emotions as well as your own instincts. But the 'why' we cannot tell you, you have to figure it out by yourselves. I'm sorry."

"So you know why Draco and Orion can feel each other's emotions?" Hermione enquired slowly.

"Yeah, but we aren't allowed to tell you...yet." The brothers sighed, but the pair seemed to sense that they couldn't say any more as the questions stopped.

Orion growled but didn't ask again. He pulled out a packet of ready rolled cigarettes and lit it, he calmed slightly as he took a long drag on the fag.

They sat in a comfortable silence, Hermione sat on the floor running her hand through the long tufted carpet, Orion leant against the wall, breathing in the nicotine infused smoke, next to the CD player as he put on Yashin's album 'Put Your Hands Where I Can See Them' and the brothers perched on the back of the sofa. They soon found themselves singing to the heavy lyrics waiting for Draco to revive from his self-imposed hell.

_You've got the face of a stranger_

_But you talk to me like I'm your friend_

_And everyone suffers in silence_

_Do your best to try to hide it_

_Cannot try to hide this_

_Why are you scared (YOU'RE SCARED)_

_Just step away (STEP AWAY) from the crowd_

_..._

_You don't know me_

_Don't be afraid_

_We are alive_

_Tonight the stars (WILL SET ALIGHT) set alight_

_This is the closest place to hell_

_So why close your eyes or waste a minute?_

_This is the closest place to hell_

_Don't want to close our eyes or waste a minute?_

_(OR WASTE A MINUTE)_

Draco shivered as he rose from the bed he had been placed on. He could hear singing from through the wall but it did nothing to alleviate his depression. Draco shuffled to the one door that was in the opposite direction of the singing and found himself in a huge slate bathroom. In the centre stood a golden claw footed bathtub, Draco quickly filled the tub with vanilla scented water that reminded him of his mother. He stripped down to his boxers, pulling the blade out of his breast pocket, and sank into the scalding hot liquid.

Draco breathed in the scented fumes rising from the water and sank into the memory of when he last smelt it, a week before she died.

_Draco awakened slowly, a pulsing pain erupted all over his body as if he had been pushed in front of the Night Bus. He knew not to utter a word or his punishment would be worse. Draco slightly tilted his head to the side to see the chains holding himself up and off the ground. The old fashioned manacles that, were always used by his father if they were in the dungeons, were successfully holding his arms above him and his feet a couple of inches off of the ground. There was blood in his mouth, from his tongue that he seemed to have bitten hard, he spat it out on to the floor, it amused him to see it join the slight puddle of blood underneath him._

"_You disgust me. I should kill you now." Lucius snarled from behind him._

_Draco smiled a little at that thought and waited for his father to walk in front of him. He only had to wait a moment to see Lucius with a sick grin on his face._

_Draco's father began to pour a warm clear oily liquid over his son's body, then took a step back to admire his handiwork. Lucius slipped his wand out of his cane and pressed the tip against Draco's chest._

"_Incendio." He muttered, a cold yet excited expression on Lucius' face._

_His body was engulfed in flames and he whimpered as he smelt his own flesh burn, but forced himself not to utter anything louder as it would satisfy his father. The pain was unbearable and he became almost drunk on the pain being inflicted towards him. Draco shuddered as he saw Lucius slide his trousers to the floor._

_Lucius wasn't wearing underwear and Draco could see his father's dick standing to attention, aroused by his son's suffering. The fight immediately left Draco's body and he hung limp from the chains in the ceiling, ignoring the pain from the fire, just wishing that death would take him quickly._

_Lucius wrapped a hand around his member and began pumping his hand backwards and forwards, slowly, staring at the flames that were burning away his son's flesh, the fire reflected in his eyes as the pleasure engulfed him._

_Draco could feel himself slipping in and out of consciousness as his flesh melted away, but he was forced back into reality as the flames disappeared. He rolled his head on to his shoulder, and hissed when the open wounds touched, and looked at Lucius._

_The man stood barely a foot away from him, his head thrown back in ecstasy. A muffled moan escaped Lucius' lips making Draco dry wretch. Draco's body jolting with silent sobs. The tears flowing down his naked form stung the open sores and he whimpered._

_Lucius waved his wand slightly but nothing seemed to happen. Draco looked around in silent fear but still didn't see what his torturer had done and he began to relax. He jerked when he noticed the pain in his wounds increasing. Draco writhed, trying to break free of the cold sticky metal chains. Agony washed over his body, a pressure began to build in his temples as the pain increased, he shook and shook, trying to get away, to go anywhere, to do anything that would let him escape from this torment. He screamed, louder than he ever had before as his nerve endings fried at the sheer amount of torture being inflicted in a single moment._

_Lucius' eyes rolled back in pure bliss at the sound of his sons pain, two more frantic strokes and he ejaculated all over Draco's front._

_The pain suddenly shot up as the salty liquid oozed into Draco's bloody sores. His screams elevated as the pain became unbearable; he had never been in more pain. Blood vessels popped in his eyes and he passed out in a haze of red._

_Sobbing brought Draco out of the darkness. He felt himself lying on the cold stone floor of the dungeons, the rusty metal manacles were no longer ripping holes into his flesh. He slowly forced his eyes to open and found Narcissa crying as she looked at his form, wand in hand, to heal the deep burns._

"_Mum..." He croaked, closing his eyes, "It hurts."_

"_I know, baby," His mother choked, tears flowing down her pale cheeks, "I will make it feel all better."_

_She was careful not to get her tears on his healing wounds, but she knew that his pain would get worse as she healed the burns. At St. Mungo's, the biggest cause of death for children was burns as they could not handle the pain from the healing process and they went into shock. The burn's unit was not somewhere you ever wanted to find yourself, no matter how small your burn was, screams always penetrated the supposed soundproof walls. Unbelievably, the pain you went through to get it healed was double the original agony of being burnt. Narcissa knew this and hated Lucius for putting herself in this position._

"_I'm so sorry baby." She whispered over and over, as she levitated her sons unmoving form from the floor over a copper bath filled with a cold shimmering cream liquid._

_Draco whimpered as he was submerged by the healing liquid. The salve absorbed into his skin and the itching started. He dragged his nails across his broken skin, trying to find a way to get rid of the pain. Blood poured from the trails left by his fingers as he clawed at his chest, turning the potion red. The pain increased as the deep wounds bubbled but started to heal, Draco thrashed against the cold metal sides and tried to escape, but the warm soothing hand on his cheek and the comforting smell, of the vanilla body wash his mother used, kept him at bay._

_The last thing he heard was the gentle singing of Narcissa as he slipped under the cream liquid.__"Hush, little dragon, don't breathe a word,_

_I'm gonna find you a phoenix bird._

_And if that phoenix can't heal your fears,_

_I'm gonna save you from your tears._

_And if your tear's don't disappear,_

_I'm gonna hang Lucius from the chandelier..."_

Shuddering Draco released the breath he had been holding. He grabbed the knife off of the bath side and placed the cold metal against his pale skin. Draco slid the blade across his wrist and sighed in relief when he felt the pain normally accustomed with his ritual. He cut again and again, making a bloodied criss-cross on his arm. Draco smiled as he rested his mutilated limb on the bath wall and dropped the gory knife on the stone floor, he closed his eyes as the cold metal clattered to the floor.

The first moment of comfort Draco had felt since his mother's demise was shattered by a knock on one of the four doors, he ignored it and shut his eyes, waiting for the annoyance to move from the door.

"Draco...are you alright?" Hermione's soft voice floated through the crack in the bottom of the door.

Still he ignored her, he pushed himself under the water to get away from the disruption. A breeze fluttered by his fingers startling him, Draco shot up gasping for breath, warm water flowing off of his face. He flinched as he saw a body sat on the tub side but relaxed when he saw it was only Hermione.

"What are you doing in here 'Mione?" Draco sighed, silently slipping his lacerated arm into the water.

Her eyes tracked the movement but didn't say anything about it, "We were worried about you and you weren't answering the door."

Hermione ran her hand through the water that was now turning slightly pink and grabbed his arm and pulled it out of the water. Draco flinched as she examined the mutilated flesh.

"You haven't gone deep." Hermione stated surprised, walking to the cupboard under the sink and retrieving a mesh bandage to wrap around Draco's self inflicted wound.

"Yeah, well I wasn't trying to kill myself." Draco scowled, but continued to let Hermione tend to his injuries.

"Why do you do it then?" She asked sullenly.

Draco ignored the question and stood up in the bath and grabbed a fluffy black towel. He was suddenly very thankful that he had decided to keep his boxers on instead of jumping in the bath commando like normal people do. Wrapping the plush towel around his body Draco dragged Hermione into the room he woke up in. He found his pyjama bottoms on the foot end of the bed and quickly slipped the thin fabric on. He sat on the edge of the bed with his face in his hands. The bed dipped next to him where Hermione had sat.

"I do it to feel." He whispered, his hand moving to claw at his bare chest, the corner of his mouth turned at the slight pain caused.

Hermione wrapped her hand around his fingers and lifted his hand from his skin.

"Don't," She said, rubbing her thumb over the back of his hand, "Narcissa would not want you to hurt yourself, and neither do we."

Draco lay back on the bed, pulling Hermione with him, but didn't acknowledge what she said. She rolled on her side, sliding her leg over his and rested her hand on his scar covered chest.

"Will you tell me how you got these?" She said tracing each and every blemish on his bare skin.

"Yeah, eventually, but not now." Draco whispered after a while closing his eyes.

The pair lay side by side in silence, listening to the karaoke in the next room as they slowly nodded off together.

**A.N. - The lullaby said by Narcissa in the flashback is mine, unlike the lyrics that occasionally pop into this story. I'm sorry if you didn't like the flashback but I'm ill with flu...possibly...and it just happened so deal with it.**

**Also this is over 7000 words long, which is around half of the previous story in one chapter, you now know why I cut the last chapter off of the beginning of this one...hmm...**

**Review please, I need advice on whether graphic flashbacks are your thing or not, so that I know what to write next.**

**Thank you.**


	8. Cheater

**A.N. - Yeah it's later than I expected but the reason's are listed at the bottom. Hope this chapter makes up for it**

**BEWARE - This chapter contains nothing dark. Nought. So it should be fine for you light stomached readers. But does have scenes of a sexual nature ;)**

**Chapter 8 - Cheater**

When Harry woke up he was surprised to find Professor Dumbledore standing over him. He groaned, lifting a hand to the back of his head as he rolled over. A massive lump had formed where Harry had hit the wall hard. He sat up leaning against the wall, ignoring the disappointed expression on his head teacher's face. A squeal echoed around the room as a body flew at him.

"OH MY GOD...I was soooo worried...I thought you were dead...That bastard, does he not realise that you are the only hope for the Wizarding World...Don't worry, Professor Dumbledore will punish them, won't you?" Ginny rambled, not noticing the tense staring match between the elder and child.

"No I believe that I won't, Miss Weasley. I told everyone not to anger them, or provoke them, but no you both had to insult them. Need I remind you that they were and still are protected by the law, it is your own fault if you come to harm by attacking Draco and Mister Black, whether that is verbally or physically because the consequences of those actions will be severe." Dumbledore said sternly.

The red-headed demon girl glared at her ex-favourite teacher, "What kind of hold do they have over you, huh? They aren't even that special, I mean anyone with a brain can see that Granger is an attention seeking whore; Malfoy is pure evil, he probably staged the 'stabbing' and almost certainly killed his mother with thorough enjoyment and Orion is a freak, plain and simple."

A strange expression found its way on to Dumbledore's face; it was a mixture between pure rage, disbelief, disgust and horror. He took a step backwards, flexing his hand as he tried to work around his anger.

"Detention Miss Weasley, a week's worth. I would expect this sort of rubbish from Miss Parkinson, not you. Get out of my sight." He said shaking his head in disappointment.

She grumbled before walking out of the heavy double doors, scowling all the way.

Harry and Dumbledore were left in silence as they looked at the two unconscious lumps of flesh lying on the cold stone floor, crumpled against the wall.

"She didn't deserve that, Ginny was only speaking the truth." Harry snarled his hand curled into a fist.

Dumbledore swung round to face the little boy on the floor, "If you believe that then you are as big of an idiot as she is. Do you even remember the fact that Hermione has saved your life more than once, she was the brains of your harebrained group? You have had it easy in comparison to the three people whose lives you are trying to ruin. You may have survived the killing curse, little boy, but togther they should have died over a hundred times and they survived. If you had lived the life they live, you would not have lived past your fifth birthday. If you want to survive this year I suggest you leave them alone."

"You seriously believe them. Man, this is a new low for you. I used to defend you when people called you insane but now, I see they are completely true. They don't know what pain is, have you met Hermione and Draco's parents, my god they can have everything at their beck and call..."

Dumbledore interrupted Harry, "Of course I believe them, unlike you I am skilled in Legilimency and had their permission to seek confirmation of the truth. You obviously do not know their parents, if that is what you assume. The pain you have felt is nothing like what they have been through. Sure, not all of your pain is physical but believe me, the emotional trauma that has been inflicted on them is enough to send anyone insane. They are stronger than you think, and soon they will be so much stronger than what you saw today."

Harrh glared at his headmaster as he stood, "And you condone this. You say they are getting stronger yet you do nothing. They could over power you and control this school. Do you realise that tbey are dragging tbis school down?"

Dumbledore smiled, "No, quite the opposite, they are rebuilding this school from the foundations, boy. They have no power over me, they may be stronger but they respect my position unlike some pupils here I know. Now get out of my sight before you say something else that makes me extend your detention with me."

Harry walked out of the Great Hall in a hurry, a rush to get anywhere but there. As he made his way to the moving staircase Harry caught a glimpse of dirty blond hair and giggles flying around the corner in front of him. Intrigued, he followed the sound of girlish giggling to a dark alcove. A hand shot out of the abyss and dragged him into the darkness.

One Lavender Brown stood before him, her lips parted slightly, barely an inch from Harry's, breathing shallowly. Her top three shirt buttons were undone and showed him a white lace bra hiding perfect creamy white skin.

"Hello gorgeous," Lavender said with a sultry smile upon her lips, "I missed you, Ron's busy with homework so I thought I would come and find you."

"Good girl." Harry exclaimed before crushing his lips to hers, in a passion hardly seen by his real girl friend.

He licked her lower lip and Lavender eagerly let him in, his tongue shot into her mouth and she moaned. Her perfectly manicured nails slid down his chest slowly making Harry groan in pleasure, he whimpered as the movement ceased just above his obvious predicament. Lavender chuckled at the discomfort she had caused.

Harry smirked as he spun her round and pushed her backwards against the wall. Her back hit the cold stone hard but the pain was short lived as Harry pressed himself up against Brown's body and kissed the side of her neck and slowly kissed his way down her body, stopping at her breasts, giving them both equal attention. Lavender moaned out silently as she leant her head back against the wall. One of Harry's hands slid from her shoulders and slowly brushed down her side and rested on her thigh, teasing her. He grinned as he kissed her again but did nothing to still the fire raging in them both.

Brown growled in frustration as she realised what Harry was up to but smirked as she slowly undid the button on his trousers before slipping her hand under the elasticated waist of his boxers. His body jerked as her cold hand met with his warm yet hard flesh. Moaning Potter put one hand against the wall to keep himself steady as his harlot wrapped her hand around his length.

The silence was filled with grunts and moans from Potter as he reached his peak. He pressed his lips to hers as he reached his peak, cumming into Lavender's hand and his trousers, muffling the sounds being emitted from his mouth.

"We should do this again sometime." Harry murmured, before kissing her again hard, for a final time before turning to leave.

Unaware of the fact that someone was standing just outside of the arch and could hear every word said between the pair. The intruder slipped away unnoticed as Potter walked past as if he owned the world.

When Harry walked through the Gryffindor Common Room he found Ron and Ginny sat by the roaring fire discussing what had happened in the Great Hall. Ron looked calm as he spoke to his sister, unlike Ginny who seemed ready to let loose a Bat Bogey Hex on her dear brother. Potter placed a chaste kiss on his girlfriend's forehead as he sank into the plush red loveseat with Ginny.

"Ronald here, believes that it's our fault we were attacked today." She growled.

"What the fuck! You saw what happened, we did not deserve to be assulted like that." Harry snarled at his best friend.

Ron glared at the couple who were ganging up on him, "You know it was your fault. Dumbledore gave us all a pretty good reason of why NOT to antagonize them and what do you do, you get your arse kicked by them because you didn't do as you were told. You, Potter, are an idiot."

He stood from his seat and gathered his possessions off of the table, "Also I cannot believe how much of an asshole you are being to Hermione. She used to be one of your best friends or did you forget that?"

Ron stormed over to the boy's dormitory stairs and disappeared from view.

"What the fuck is his problem?" Harry exclaimed in annoyance.

"Who knows." Ginevra replied before kissing Potter hard and pushing him back in to the sofa.

Ron took cover in his dorm room and flung himself down on to his bed. The door opened behind him.

"Harry fuck off." He exclaimed not lifting his head from the soft linen sheets.

"Charming...I don't really like being compared to that scumbag." A voice replied from the doorway.

Ronald turned over and said, "Sorry Neville, I thought you were Potter."

After a moment of silence Neville sat on the end of the bed and brought his knee's up under his chin. He seemed to be struggling to get the words out so Ron left him to it and attempted his potions homework again.

"I'm sorry Ron...I just saw Lavender cheating on you." Neville blurted out into the silence.

The red headed boy flinched, "Of course she is, why would she want to be with me what have i got to offer," Ron said bitterly, his clenched fist rested on his knee, "Who with?"

Neville breathed out heavily, hesitating before answering, "The golden boy, Harry Potter."

Ron froze with shock, he could not believe that his best friend of six years could betray him like that.

Turning red with rage Ronald stood from the bed, knocking Neville off in the process and stormed out of the dormitory. When he arrived in the Gryffindor common room he saw Lavender sitting on the floor by the fireplace, even though no flames were flickering in the grate. Ron sat down beside her and stared at the soot covered chimney breast.

"Are you cheating on me Lav?" He asked softly, his voice breaking.

"No." Brown replied confidently.

"Are you cheating on me Lav?" Ron repeated slowly, his voice hard.

She huffed out a sigh of annoyance, "Fine I am. Happy?"

He chuckled, shaking his head, "Not in the slightest. When did it first start and why did you do it?"

Lavender giggled, "Who could ever love you, except for your mother I mean? I needed you to get closer to him. As for when did it start, it was a three months and six days ago. Why do you not wanna know who he is?"

"Because I already know." He replied before standing up and walking over to where Harry was kissing Ginny.

Ron tore his old friend from his sister and punched Harry straight in the nose.

"Ahh...what the hell?" Potter started, his hand covering his nose as a steady flow of blood dribbled from his nose.

"How could you I thought you were my friend?" He breathed, a lone tear ran down his cheak.

"What the hell are you on about?" Harry asked in annoyance.

"How could you start a relationship with Lavender, the day after I finally asked her out, when you are going out with my sister?" Ron shouted, the whole common room went quiet.

Potter's lips twitched into a small smile that only Ronald saw.

"I haven't, who told you this shit?" Harry exclaimed.

Ron growled, "Lavender and my real friend, he is forever truthful."

Lavender ran over fake tears in her eyes, "I never said a word, how could you accuse me of such a thing?" She wailed.

The whole common room glared at Ron as he said, "Someone I trust more than you or Harry told me."

"And is this informer a girl because I bet she was just trying to split us up." Brown said jealousy filled her voice with venom.

Ron chuckled before replying, "No he is most definitely male and he wouldn't do that unless you were doing something that warranted you bad."

"Aghh it is over Ronald Weasley. I don't want you as a boyfriend if you are just going to blame me for things I clearly haven't done." She flicked her superficial blond hair over her shoulder and started crying.

He rolled his eyes at his ex girlfriend's theatrics. A slap reverberated around the room. Ron's head flicked to the side.

"How dare you accuse my boyfriend of sleeping with your girlfriend. I can't believe you Ron. Just go, I don't want to speak to you or see you anymore, you disgust me." Ginny shouted, her wand shoved into his throat.

Harry grabbed her wand hand and lowered it. He wrapped his arms around Ginny as she dissolved into tears.

"Leave!" Harry snarled.

Ron glared at his old before walking to his dorm to collect his possessions.

Neville was sat on his bed, his head in his hands.

"I'm really sorry Ron." He whispered.

"It's ok. It's not like I could stay here anyway."

Nev looked up at him, studied Ron for a second before saying, "You could stay in the Room of Requirements, it tailors it's atmosphere to your needs, like last year we used it for Dumbledore's Army. If you want I can put the good word to the Tuck brothers to join their house."

"Neville you're a genius! Would you really? Actually I think if stepped within five meters of the founders I would die on spot. Can you ask them if I can do any thing to help win the war?" He contemplated, before charming all of his possessions into his trunk.

Nev nodded as Ron shrunk the wooden chest to fit in his pocket before walking off to his new home.

"Good luck Ron."

**A.N. - Yeah it's been quite a long time but I as always have good reasons. It was my birthday on the 20th and I had to plan for it. It was awesome thanks for asking, we all dressed up in different music genres and I am now 16 woop woop. It was also Christmas, if you had not noticed, so nothing could be done around then. I had writer's block and attempted to work around it. And it was the first day back to school when I wrote this A.N...it was incredibly boring...so I wrote the end of this.**

**Hope you liked**


	9. Seeing Is Believing

**Chapter 9 - Seeing Is Believing**

Draco jolted awake from his fitful sleep, the screams of innocence lost faded as he returned to consciousness. He felt a warm body next to him. Draco jerked upright and frantically shuffled to the far side of the bed. Fear evident on his face as he rushed to find his wand. He found it and thrust it into the intruders neck, a fatal curse on his lips. A hand gripped his, before the wand could come into contact with flesh and pulled his attention towards the unknown person. Two hands gripped the sides of Draco's face and made him look into her eyes.

"Draco calm down. Draco please darlin'." Hermoine's long delicate fingers stroked his face trying to sooth him down from his oncoming panic attack.

Draco's heavy breathing slowed to a gentle speed as he stared into her chocolate brown eyes.

"That's it Draco." She encouraged as he lowered his weapon

"Fuck I'm sorry 'Mione." Draco whispered.

"It's ok."

"No it's not alright," He exploded, "I could have easily killed you then, but you don't care. Well you should. I have been trained to kill you 'Mione. I have been trained by Voldermort himself to slaughter muggleborns like you. I am the perfect weapon, molded to 'purify' the Wizarding race."

"I would be an idiot if I didn't know that you have learnt the Dark Arts, but I also know that you hate that side. That's why you are better than them, you know they are in the wrong and you defy them. You can't kill me because you simply care too much." Hermione said softly.

"I wish I could believe you." He replied, not looking at her.

Hermione kissed him lightly on the cheek before walking into the bathroom to freshen up, leaving Draco alone in his room with just his thoughts for company.

The Founders Bathroom looked spotless on first glance to Hermione but then she turned to look at the bathtub and found streams of dried blood caressing the dark sides where Draco's arm had been resting.

Memories better forgotten broke to the surface and Hermione gasped for air as she collapsed to the floor. The emotional weight of the memory crushed her and she began shaking with the sobs that coursed through her small frame.

_She struggled up the stairs with a mountain of school books in her arms. Hermione was annoyed that Melanie hadn't come to greet her when she arrived home for the holiday's._

_"Mel..I'm back..." She called out to the empty house._

_The oppressive silence suffocated her as she made her way to her bedroom. Hermione was disappointed that no one had come to pick her up from Kings Cross Station._

_A gurgle sounded from the shared bathroom on her left. Startled she dropped her books and whipped out her wand as she advanced towards the cream door. _

_Hermione pushed the door open with the tip of her wand and peered around the corner._

_A river of crimson liquid flowed from the bathtub and on to the green lino floor. As she crept closer the smell of iron and salt attacked her senses and Hermione wretched as she realised what the red liquid was that she was practically wadding through. Diluted blood, and lots of it. _

_Hermione looked closer at the tub and screamed in fright when she noticed the jet black hair of her sister floating under the liquid._

_"No no no...This can't be happening...You promised." _

_S pulled the plug out and drained out the scarlet coloured water. Hermione levitatated her sister's body out of the stained bathtub and lay her carefully on the floor. She tore away Melanie's already torn clothes and wrapped them around the deep cuts in her arm before starting CPR._

A hand on her shoulder startled Hermione out of her memory. She flinched away from the bandaged wrist. It reminded her of how worthless she really was and how she couldn't keep her only real family alive.

Another pair of arms lifted her from her curled position on the cold slate floor of the bathroom and carried Hermione into the lounge.

She covered her mouth with her fist as she released a heartwrenching sob. Hermione squeezed her eyes shut to not let out any tears. Two pairs of arms wrapped around her, keeping her together, keeping her grounded; as they sat on the plush carpeted floor.

"'Mione...shh baby girl...Everything will turn out fine in the end...shh..." Orion murmured comfortingly.

After a moment of peace Hermione's sobs had quietened and the Tuck brothers walked through the door, platters of gold floated in behind the ladened with many different desserts.

"Comfort food time," Andy exclaimed, cat whiskers crudely painted on to his face. Gold stars and sparkles erupted above them like fireworks and flickered down to the ground, "I knew it would be needed."

Hermione let out a watery chuckle at the Broadway like fanatics, "Are you trying to be the members of Kiss or the clan on Role Models?"

"We were going to be Black Veil Brides, but we didn't have enough time, so we are the clan of light," Andy sighed in mock disapointment, "Except Alerion decided he was going to join in when we were outside so that is why it looks like he has fallen over in flour and black paint." Andy explained, gutted that their final outcome was not what they desired.

Orion smiled then helped the rest of the trio off of the floor, before sinking into the plush sofa and began devouring a trayful of pancakes. The others soon took the hint and sat down with him, grabbing some pancakes before they were all consumed.

"You know, Neville has asked us to let Ronald Weasley join the house." Andy announced, around a mouthful of Lemon Meringue.

Hermione growled in annoyance, "Why?"

Alerion raised an eyebrow in her direction before answering the question, "Because the only reason he stayed loyal to Harry was for his sister. And because Mister Potter has cheated on Ginevra with Lavender Brown, Ron's girlfriend, Nev saw and relayed the information to one Weasley. Ron confronted Miss Brown and she said that it was true, but when he confronted Potter, she had changed her tune. Ron was forced out of Gryffindor and is now lodging in the Room of Requirements. Neville is a good friend of ours and a distant family member. So we trust Neville when he says that Ron is trustworthy, Ron didn't tell them who had told him when it could have saved his friendship with the Gryffindor's. Nev also says that Ron defended you against Harry and Ginny, he went against his family for you 'Mione."

Hermione looked shocked for a second before saying, "So why isn't he here telling us himself?"

Andy chuckled, "Because he's scared you will kill him as soon as he steps over the threshold."

Draco laughed, "That's probably true."

Hermione wacked him around the head with a cushion, Draco ducked and by doing so, fell off of the sofa. Orion giggled, then stopped as another pillow hit him in the face. Draco was sat on the floor looking a little bit too innocent. An full scale pillow fight ensued, feathers flying everywhere, coating the floor in a cloud like layer.

But the cheerful atmosphere soon diminished when an intruder interrupted their fun.

Dumbledore floated into the room with a solemn expression upon his face.

"To convict Crabbe and Goyle of attempted murder I need solid proof Draco, it's not that I don't believe you, of course. You must understand that if I were to go to Wizengamot, on your behalf, I would need solid proof. Therefore I need to look at your memories."

"Just the ones for the stabbing?" Draco asked slowly, not wanting to share his darkest memories with anyone.

Dumbledore nodded hesitating slightly before looking Draco in the eye.

"Legilimens." He said, his voice echoing around the room.

Draco froze as Dumbledore entered his mind. It felt like a goblet of cold water had been poured over his head, he had felt the same sensation many times before when his estranged aunt Bellatrix had taught him Occlumency. It took everything he had to not protect his mind from the invading entities.

Draco started to shake as memories better forgotten floated to the front of his mind. He curled into a ball on the floor and rocked backwards and forewards, staring at the black walls. Draco's arms were folded across his chest as if keeping the pain in. Hermione ran her fingers through his hair trying to calm him down and bring him out of his personal hell. Orion was sat in the corner by the hifi, cigarette in one hand and a glass half filled with vodka in the other. The strength of Draco's pain was taking a toll on him and he fought against the need to shield his friends from harm. Orion brought the glass to his lips and downed the clear liquid in one, not flinching at the acquired taste.

Dumbledore was visibly shaken when he returned to the present, his skin had turned grey and was covered in perspiration.

"Professor?" Andy said quietly.

Dumbledore jumped, looking like a deer caught in the headlights. He cleared his throat before speaking.

"I think we should convict your father as well." His voice shook but began to get stronger.

Draco paled as Dumbledore's words registered in his brain.

"How much did you see?" Draco whispered.

Dumbledore shuffled uncomfortably, "Just about everything. I'm sorry I couldn't help it, those memories were the strongest and they overwhelmed me, blasting everything else I wanted to see out of the way. I couldn't escape them," He shook as he remembered them, "I have never experienced anything quite like it."

Draco shuddered and escaped to his room, locking the door behind him. He threw himself on to his plush king sized bed.

An enraged cry could be heard through the wall as a blast of energy tore through his room. The mirror above his desk shattered as a chair collided with it; the wooden furnishing splintered into thousands of pieces; heavy fabric curtains turned to rags; as the shock wave ripped through everything as if a bomb had gone off in his room. Parchment floated to the floor with the ripped pages from expensive books. Everything settled on the black carpet to form a lethal secondary rug of glass, wood and paper.

Orion crashed through the unlocked bathroom door to find Draco lying in the centre of the blast, unmoving.

"Shit Draco."

The bed he lay on crashed to the floor, the mattress barely holding itself together, but Draco still did not move from his position.

Dumbledore quickly followed Orion, the others in tow. He walked to Draco's side; the debris parted for him, like the sea did for Moses; and reached towards his unmoving form. Draco flinched and moved away from his head teacher. He withdrew his hand and stepped back.

Hermione slowly made her way towards her new friend, not caring if the shattered glass went through her socks. She sat on the edge of his broken bed and started running her hand through his dark hair.

"If you try to convict Lucius of anything he will avade it and come to kill me Dumbledore, you know he will," Draco stated clearly, though he sounded broken, from his position on what was left of his bed, "And you know he will kill everyone I love...to torture me...before he actually...kills me...Lucius always kills everyone I love."

Silent tears rolled down his cheeks to be absorbed by the dirty mattress. He pulled Hermione on to the bed to lay by his side and started to sob into her stomach.

Orion growled, his eyes darkening, "Leave. Now."

A single blade floated behind Dumbledore's head where he couldn't see it, ready to plung into the back of his neck.

Dumbledore frowned at the order but understood the predicament he had placed himself in. He waved his wand and the room returned to it's usual state before he turned to leave.

"Don't do this Professor. It will ruin everything." Alerion whispered.

Dumbledore nodded slightly in recognition but carried on walking without a word.

Orion continued to let out an eerie snarl and kept the weapon following him until he could no longer feel his headmaster's presence. The knife fell to the floor with a clatter and the animalistic noises eminating from his person ceased.

Alerion and Andy sat cross-legged at the end of the newly fixed bed whilst Orion lay down beside Draco. Andy placed a hand each on Draco's knee and Orion's knee and pushed his comfort onto them while Alerion summoned a large bottle of Vodka and five shot glasses. He dished out the beverage to each person and Orion swiftly downed his, before refilling the tiny glass. The trio soon calmed with the heat of the liquid when it ran down their throats.

"You all have a habit of burying your problems, Hermione you emerse yourself in your studies instead of dealing with them; Orion you drink yours away; and Draco you used to take it out on Muggleborns, but now you do nothing and I don't know if that's a better way. You need to tell each other your pasts, otherwise this group is going to self destruct and you won't know why and everything will be lost. Trust is so important in these times of war. Secrets are a burden." Andy said softly.

"If secrets are a burden why won't you tell us what is happening to Draco and I?" Orion growled, slightly angry that information concerning him was being kept from him.

Draco pushed himself off of the bed to sit on the mattress properly, a frown on his face.

"We want to tell you, because we know that if someone had told us what was happening to Andy and I, the change would have been so much easier on us and our minds. But we can't tell you. That's the rules. You have to figure it out for yourselves. If we tell you, you would not have the experience needed to get through this. But you will have us, which is more than we had when we were your age." Alerion explained.

"We thought we were going insane. Our parents had been killed, murdered by Voldemort but we didn't know that until much later. We were just kids, we didn't even know we were of magical blood. We were sent to an orphanage and were adopted by a couple shortly after. For five years, we lived with that couple in harmony, we were glad to have gained such a great family. But then they received a letter from Hogwarts in the post," Andy choked, his voice becoming darker as he spoke, "And they accused us of being the Devil's spawn. We didn't know why, we didn't even know they had gotten a letter concerning us. We were locked in the attic of their house for six years. Food was pulled up a pully system in the wall that was used by servants in years gone by and there was a broken bathroom unit in the corner. Then we started to change and there was no one we could talk about it too, no one to ask questions too. We could feel things that weren't there, we could make stuff happen that shouldn't have. With the amount of time we had spent in that room with no one else to talk too, we seriously thought we were hallucinating and we believed them when they said we were Satan's children. We learnt to deal with the pain, by telling our minds that it wasn't real. The food had stopped coming up so we started to think they had abandoned us but we could still hear them in the floors below."

The room grew darker with a suffocating pressure that crushed all in the room. Alerion grabbed his brothers hand and the compression ceased. Tears were streaming down Andy's face but he continued without missing a beat.

"Then one day Alerion collapsed, he was dying, his heart had stopped and I was trying to keep him alive, trying so hard infact to stop him from dying that the walls were shaking. Magic is fragile and in extreme circumstances it can explode out of you into your surroundings. The couple burst through the attic hatch. The man ripped me from my brothers side and threw me to the floor. The floorboards crumpled underneath me as the force left me coughing up blood. A fragment from the broken floor had pierced my lungs and as I lay there I did not notice the woman brandishing a knife until it had been forced through my chest. They had gotten it in their heads that by sacrificing us they would be doing the world a favour. I don't know what actually happened next but I do know that no one is safe around me when I think that there is no hope left because I will drag down everyone surrounding me, friends and foe alike. When I returned to the present, I instinctively knew that none of the blood on the floor was mine and I knew I had slaughtered our 'carers'. There was nothing left of them," He smiled evilly, his eyes lighting up as he remembered that moment, "I was drenched in blood that didn't belong to me. The hole in my chest had healed and my blood had disappeared. Alerion began moving again, I still don't know why or how but he did, and he was scared of me, his own brother, because of something I couldn't control. Apparently the screams of the couple had been so loud that the neighbors had gotten worried and called the police. And I was sent to a mental institution, whilst Alerion got sent into witness protection. The loony bin was filled with true lunatics. All muggles, all scared of me, because they knew that I had butchered two armed adults without blinking. The authorities wouldn't let me have company as they didn't trust me to not kill them. I spent months in there, confined to a cell with no one to talk to, thinking I was going insane. I was like you Draco, I could not feel. They said whenever someone came close to my cell they could feel all the happiness in the world leave their bodies, like Dementors. I lost count of how long I was there for but I do remember the day Dumbledore turned up to get me out. He was scared of me too, you could see it in his eyes. But he told me that Alerion was with him and that he was going to get me out of there." His voice turned bitter, "You see my brother had had it easy in comparison with me. Dumbledore had collected him from the police station with the promise of protection but from people who don't understand, not me. So for the months I was losing my mind in a two meter square room, my brother and Dumbledore were scouring the country in search of a deteriorating sixteen year old boy. When they did find me, I had stopped hoping to escape from there, I had retreated into my mind and didn't even realise that there were others in my cell. I was so far gone..." Andy's voice trailed off as he succumbed to his memories.

Alerion took over the story telling, rubbing his brother on the back as he stared of into the distance, "When we found him I didn't recognise him, he was paler than before, so much so that he looked dead. Andy didn't seem to recognise me either, but I think that was more of his mind set than me actually changing. It was like he had forgotten that he had a brother. The people in charge informed us of his state before hand, but it didn't even cover what he was actually like. They said he wasn't eating much, the little he did manage to consume was rejected by his body and you could tell. They said he didn't talk, he didn't move, he didn't do anything so they didn't need to administer the drugs they normally would have had to have done in cases similar to his. He didn't even notice when he was carried out of the hospital and taken to Hogwarts. Andy spent weeks, possibly months, just lying in the infirmary. I visited him everyday, waiting for Andy to realise he was out and who I was but I was just ignored by my brother, and it hurt so much. One day I decided that enough was enough and I just held his hand and talked to him for hours. I didn't notice that that the life was draining away from me until the nurse, Madame Pomfrey, came rushing in and pulled me away from Andy. I immediately felt like I had just ran the Marathon or something, I was so tired that I almost passed out. But I didn't, I stayed conscious for long enough to see my brother almost literally come back to life. He looked like he had just drowned, when Andy woke up from his stupor he started choking and breathing deeply, like he had been holding his breath for the entire time he had been at the institute for. Turns out his power is a defensive one, like your's Orion. He constantly draws energy from those around him, most of the time it's unnoticable, but when he's dying or ill, the drain of power is more prominent. Also Andy can push energy towards you and with them feelings too, so that you can heal from near death, which was what he did, that day, when he got admitted and I died. When Andy was in the hospital he was drawing energy from the in-patients, so the energy was like poison. Which is why he developed a serious case of depression and was losing his sanity because he was literally absorbing the insane," Andy shuddered as he rose from the bed and ran to the bathroom, "But when he absorbs 'good' energy from ecstatic individuals it's like he's on drugs or cloud nine. Andy has learnt to control it and now the different energies doesn't affect him as much as it used to do."

The group sat in silence, contemplating their own lives, waiting for their friend and brother to return to them.

"How old are you, Alerion?" Hermione asked softly.

"Not as old to make you feel inferior 'MIone. Me and my brother are both 18, as is how it works in the world of twinhood; just don't tell anyone else." Alerion answered happily, glad for a lighthearted conversation.

"You may be almost the same age as us but I am still not talking to you about girls, imagian if you will being interrupted in the middle of a debate about sex...with your head of house, imagian that." Draco drawled lazily, making everyone collapse in laughter.

Alerion continued to giggle as he sank into the plush king sized bed to wait for his twin.

"Fuck Andy, don't do that. Not again. Open the door." Alerion shouted, startling the trio as he gracefully scrambled from the foot end.

He ran to the bathroom door and pulled on the handle. The sound of Andy throwing up could be heard through the door.

"What's wrong with Andy?" Hermione asked concerned for her friend.

"For weeks after getting his energy back he was vomiting and we couldn't get him to stop. By remembering what happened he manages to make himself sick," Alerion answered in a hurry, trying to force his way through the thick wooden door, "Andy explained it to me once, he said that by remembering he falls back into that frame of mind and he can feel all the people in his head again, which is what makes him sick."

The door clicked open seemingly of it's own accord and the quartet ventured in slowly, pushing back the door to find Andy curled up into a ball on the floor, his forehead resting on the cold porcelain throne and his wand on the floor by his hand.

"Andy I told you not to tell them all of it at once, but you didn't listen." Alerion stated, anger lacing his words.

The Tuck brother stretched out slowly as to not aggravate his stomach any more and stood, swaying slightly.

"They needed to know that it's fine to worry about the consequences of telling someone your story but to not let them get in the way of putting trust in your friends and family. For example, I didn't know whether you would except me for who I am because I have killed in cold blood and I don't care, but I trust you all, which is difficult for me because at times I don't even trust my own brother. Also it would have made it worse to elongate the story as I would be constantly thinking about it for days and the pain would have built up. I assume Alerion told you how my power works, so I don't need to explain it again." Andy said with his eyes closed, not wanting to see the reactions on their faces.

Alerion looked hurt for a second before he cleared his face to look impassive, obviously he wasn't aware of his brother's trust issues.

"I think we are all entitled to have trust issues, but your fears were unfounded as we already love you, you're all like family to me. We loved you before you told us of your past, but I think we love you more now that you have told us. Which is why I am going to share my past with you all and I hope that you two will as well." Orion stated, with his hand on Andy's shoulder, steadying him as he swayed.

"Fine," Draco replied shakily, "I trust all of you. It's just that by telling it makes it more real. I suppose it's better than hearing it from someone else anyway."

"Alright but not today, too much stuff has been going on." Hermione agreed hesitantly, as she shook in fright of her newest and only friends finding out just how sick she really was, how uptight, self-centered and vain her true self was.

Draco wrapped his arms around her frail body as she whimpered into his chest, making sure that the bandages he wore were hidden from sight under his long sleeved button up shirt.

The others gradually filtered out of the room after each giving a kiss on the cheek to Hermione and a squeeze on the shoulder to Draco.

"Sooo...I hear we have an upcoming war and not having lived in the wizarding community I am going to fein ignorance on the matter of his majesty Potter leading us into battle and start to create our own army." Orion stated as they shut the door to Draco's room.

Andy grinned, "Where do you suggest we start?"

"Roonil Wazlib."

**A.N: I AM SOOOOO SORRY...its been what 3 months maybe and you have had nought from me. I appologise, I find writing long speeches tiresome, yet it was important in this chapter...and in the next and possibly the next...but I don't know, haven't exactly got a plan, i find the restricting :)**

**Soo excuses tis time actually are minmal but of great importance in my life as it is at the moment.**

**1. Having GCSEs to do this year put alot of strain on me and I'm telling you I buckle under stress**

**2. This chapter has been half writen for about a month but I could not get it to flow right...it's still not right but now it's acceptable at least**

**3. I am recovering from Flu...YAY..it was bundles of fun and wish you all the very best of not catching influenza**

**4. My family is falling apart and I don't know how to fix it, I don't know whether punching my brother in the face would sort out anything...damn shame really**

**But I do have somink good coming up...SCHOOL HOLIDAY WOOO...as well as my ganster rap fireman strippers birthday of paintballing fun on Saturday, a Black Veil Brides' Concert on the Sunday (BIG woop for that), on the next Saturday its my dear friends birthday sleepover with shit loads of karoke ;) and the Easter Sunday is my Mum's birthday. I am seriously going to be partied out and I'm more of a sit in the corner and observe person.**

**As normal, review if you like, tell me if the speech set up was ok or should I just ditch what I have planned.**

**Sorry for the long ass Author's Note by the way ;)**


	10. Recruiting Hard Times

**A.N. I apologise for this chapter already...the first bit is a bit shit, funny as it made me laugh while writing it but shit never-the-less ;)**

**Chapter 10 - Recruiting Hard Times**

Orion quickly wrote a note explaining their upcoming absence and staked it to Draco's door, narrowly missing the growling dragon who safe-guarded his friend, before tearing out of the Common Room like a bat out of hell, with Alerion and Andy right behind him. They pounded on the wall where the Room of Requirements was usually found and waited for the occupant to show himself, as they bent over breathless, trying to regain the use of their lungs.

"We are getting fat. That's all I can say." Andy exclaimed, wheezing heavily as he slumped against the wall.

"Yup," Orion replied, "We need to hit the gym pronto."

Alerion opened his mouth to respond but quickly shut it again and just nodded in agreement, making the other two dissolve into a combined fit of laughter and coughing.

The door appeared and the redheaded fugitive poked his head out of the side, raising an eyebrow at the pair, who had clearly not regained their sense of normality and looked as if the Heimlich manoeuvre would be the appropriate remedy.

"No fear. We come in..." Alerion took a deep breath before trying again but was interrupted.

"Pieces, clearly," Ron deadpanned, "So you are either here to kick my arse or to invite me to your tea party and I'm guessing you don't look much like an execution squad so I am in the clear for cream tea and cucumber sandwiches. Agreed?"

Andy regarded him with a raised eyebrow for a moment before exclaiming, "I like you already. You got a bit of spunk, a bit of fire in ya bones..."

"Shut up Andy, just bring him home." Alerion growled in amusement, before turning swiftly, making his cloak swish in a movement that would be approved by Severus Snape.

The newest member of En Lucem gazed upon Alerion's retreating form in amazement and then followed willingly.

When Hermione had finally calmed and her sobs had stopped, she extracted herself from Draco's arms and wandered into the bathroom to wipe all traces of tears from her face.

Draco made his way into their common room and stopped in fright.

"WHAT THE FUCK HAVE YOU DONE TO OUR COMMON ROOM?" Draco yelled, horrified at the bright colours.

The quartet did not move from their positions around a long rectangular tea table in the centre.

"More tea Orion?" Andy asked, pushing the tattered top hat back into place after it slid down to his nose.

He nodded in the affirmative and held out his cracked bone china tea cup towards the large pottery tea pot.

Hermione entered the room and squealed in delight for two reasons.

"I love Alice in Wonderland," She exclaimed, looking around the room, "Ronald, you make a lovely March Hare."

Ron grumbled in annoyance, scratching at the very real looking brown fur ears that had sprouted from his head.

The room had changed to various shades of pink, purple and blue. Fairy mushrooms and jungle like plants littered the floor and hung from the ceiling. Strange animals flew, shuffled and hobbled through the undergrowth.

Andy's hair had turned a shockingly bright orange and was covered with a large battered and burnt top hat. Alerion had turned blue and had round metal framed glasses perched upon his nose, whilst smoking on a pipe. Orion had gained several stone and wore white and blue stripes. Looking at Draco you could see light and dark blue stripes he had gained as well as his eyes turning into bright blue cats eyes. Hermione herself had gained a tattered and mud splattered blue Victorian dress complete with no stockings or corset.

"Hello Hatter," Hermione nodded to Andy, "Absolom," Alerion winked to her, "Tweedledum or Tweedledee." She patted Orion on the shoulder.

"Hello Cheshire." Hermione grinned at Draco.

He groaned, but joined the others in saying, "Hello Alice."

Andy gestured to them to sit down, "Tea?"

Hermione immediately trust her chipped cup to Andy and waited for the warm liquid to be poured. But Draco was still looking at his cup, actually through it. The whole of the bottom had disappeared leaving a sharp jagged edge.

"And you call yourself a wizard." Alerion exclaimed jokingly, as he snatched the china away from him.

He tapped the rim with his wand before passing in along to Andy. They all watched waiting for the tea to pour straight through, but instead it hovered where the bottom should have been. The Hatter, then hovered, the broken cup back to Draco, who snorted in amusement at the ridiculousness of the whole situation.

Hermione giggled and then began passing around the various foods on broken plates, using magic. Scones, sandwiches, biscuits, cakes and tarts flew around the room, landing on their plates without destroying themselves.

They all dug in, trying to ignore any animosity they had against each other.

Once they had finished all the food, they settled into a strained silence.

"So why are you really here, Ron?" Hermione sighed, looking at the floor instead of her old friend.

He swallowed slowly, giving himself time to form an adequate answer, "Hermione, you have been my friend for six years, I was stupid for letting that go on the train, I knew the way Potter treated you was bad, but I knew he wouldn't listen to me if I had confronted him about it. You were not at the Burrow over the holidays, but his attitude has slowly become what it is. Before the holidays, he was the Harry we all knew and loved, but sometime during the summer he started ignoring everything I said, defying my parents, being cocky and generally acting like a spoilt prat. We still don't know what made him change, whether it is his true person shining through or something else, but the Order's position has been moved as a precaution, just in case it's He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named controlling him through his scar. I don't want to think the worst of Harry as he has been my best friend for ages, but I cannot ignore his actions. You have always been my friend and I would be stupid to throw that away. Plus I have been training for this fight for the whole of my school life."

Hermione hugged her friend, "If you want to be in our house you are going to have to get a new uniform. Andy and Alerion, would it be possible for you to take Ron to your shop to get more clothes please?"

Their head of years nodded in confirmation, as they realised today would be the day they grow closer together.

Alerion waved his wand and the room and their clothes returned to normal.

"I have an idea. For Neville, because he is a member of this house, to get a coin with our phoenix on it, so that he can contact us whenever he likes." Draco explained slowly.

Hermione and Ron grinned at this idea.

"Draco you are a genius. We'll get a few tokens whilst we're out." Andy smiled, clapping him on the back.

The brothers shepherded the newest member of En Lucem out the door and towards the headmaster's office.

Once they were gone they all sighed knowing it was time.

The Trio dragged themselves to Moaning Myrtle's Bathroom with solemn expressions, knowing that what they were about to indulge could make or break their queer friendship. Orion leant against the wall by the door, whilst Hermione sat on the floor next to him. Draco sat on one of the sinks as he waited for someone to start.

"I'll start," Hermione said shakily, "Last year, my sister had a boyfriend. He was a right tosser. His name was Michael and he always gave me the creeps; he was always looking at me strangely, it made my skin crawl. One day I got a letter from my sister telling me that he had forced himself on her and that she was scared. Except I was at school, I couldn't do anything to help her or comfort her properly. So I wrote to my mother explaining the situation, but before she could read it my father did. She was at work at the time and couldn't calm my father down. He blamed my sister for what happened to her. He said that it was because of her attitude that Melanie had been raped and if she hadn't of worn such revealing clothes it wouldn't have happened. I went home for Christmas and Michael was there, I couldn't understand it, if father had known of that bastards actions, why was he there eating from our table at Christmas of all times? I confronted my father, after dinner, about it but he said Michael had done no wrong and that we only had Mel's word for it. I ran to my room, with the intention of getting ready for bed before saying good night to my sister. So I was in the process of changing in the dark when my light switched on and there he was, lounging on my bed in only his boxers, staring at me. I had rushed to cover myself up, as I was only in my underwear, but Michael had pulled me on to my bed and held me there.

"I have always wanted you, ever since I met your family I have wanted you." He had said, in a tone that was supposed to be alluring.

I fought against him and I managed to kick him in the balls and escape his clutches. My sister charged into my room, as I cowered in the corner, and yelled at Michael with so much anger I was beginning to get scared of her. I returned to Hogwarts the next day and had never been so pleased to be there, Harry and Ron of course didn't notice a change in me or if they did they didn't mention it. Returning home was inevitable during the summer, when I arrived at the station no one had come to get me so I had to get a taxi back. When I got home no one was there to greet me, so I went to put all my school stuff away, but I heard a noise coming from the bathroom. My sister had drowned herself and I couldn't save her. My mum soon left my father because of his indifference towards Melanie's suicide, she didn't know of Michael's actions, yet my father blamed me for my mother's abandonment and soon started beating me to 'keep me in line'. It's all my fault, I should have reported him, I should have seen the difference in her letters, I should have felt her desperation..."

"It's not and never will be your fault. All the blame shall be placed on Michael and your father." Orion growled comfortingly.

Draco wrapped an arm around her quaking figure and nodded towards Orion to start.

"I don't know who my parents are; I was left in a Muggle Orphanage by my mother just after I was born and I was only left with the names of my parents, but I haven't been able to find them. I don't even know if they are magical. Anyway, I spent around ten years in that place, until a couple turned up. No one wanted to adopt me because strange things happened around me, but out of the blue this pair wanted me and I felt special, until the oddities started again. One time, a boy stole the only thing my mother left with me on that doorstep," He slipped a tiny silver cross out from under his shirt, Draco's stomach dropped, "And I was sooo mad that I didn't think much of much when I saw him get knocked down by an invisible force and he fell on a knife, that wasn't there before, and impaled himself on it. The man who had adopted me blamed it on me, I was eleven, I had no idea what was happening. The woman was lovely, she defended me, saying that it couldn't have happened, that it wasn't possible, it was just a coincidence. For three years I had to listen to their constant arguing over me, when one day it stopped so suddenly it was like I went deaf, I went to investigate. I found the man crouching over her body bawling his eyes out, his hand clutched into a fist and cradled to his chest. Blood ran from her throat and on to the floor. He blamed me for murdering his wife and threatened to kill me too if I didn't get rid of the evidence. So I buried her in the back garden, gave her a funeral and everything, but he slowly went insane. He almost killed me several times because he thought I was there to kill him like I _killed_ his wife, he had forced himself to believe that it wasn't by his hand that she died so that he didn't destroy himself with the guilt. I put up with it for so long that I began to believe I had killed her. Everything I did prompted him to pound me to a pulp. The last time I saw him, I broke her favourite vase and he went mental and literally beat me to death. That was the first time my shield appeared and I defended myself against him without killing him, but I was scaring him. Scaring him so bad that he went to hammer my head in with a baseball bat, all I could feel was a rush of fear, the need to get out of there, as well as hopelessness at my situation. So I waited for the death blow but it didn't come. When I opened my eyes, I found myself in a room I hadn't been before and I was scared. I thought I was dead. Then Dumbledore and McGonagall came in and I almost killed them with my shield. I couldn't move as most of the bones in my body were broken because of that asshole, so my shield of weaponry was my only defence, but it was killing me, using up too much energy I needed to stay alive, I was killing myself. I don't know how I came to be here as it should be impossible."

Hermione grabbed him into a fierce hug as his body shook violently.

Draco swallowed harshly, his mouth had dried, "What were the names of your parents?" He whispered as he clutched at a chain around his neck.

"Severus and Narcissa Black." Orion whimpered, grasping hold of Hermione's shirt.

Draco paled and was promptly sick in one of the sinks beside him. Shaking he slid to the floor.

Hermione asked slowly, reaching out a hand to comfort him, "What's the matter, Draco?"

He flinched away from her comfort, not feeling worthy of it, "Severus Black doesn't exist, it's Snape. Narcissa Black doesn't exist because I killed her."

Orion backed away from his half-brother and sank to the floor in defeat.

"I think it's time for your story now."

Draco gulped, fear evident on his face as he started, "I didn't mean to, but I couldn't stop myself. She was the only person who loved me truly. Ever since I was little I have been forced to be the perfect Malfoy clone. My _father_," He spat the word, "Would punish me if I did anything that would be considered Muggle-loving and then kill the object of my affection to discourage me, which is why I was such a bastard to you before, so that he didn't kill you for something that wasn't your fault. All throughout my childhood I was subjected to the teachings of the Dark Arts and if I didn't get them right first time, he would beat me. If I defied him, which I did on more than one occasion, I would be taken down to the dungeons where he would let loose all his rage on me. I have died before, from Haemorrhagic Shock, blood loss and just giving up, my mum had to basically resurrect me every single time, because Lucius wouldn't give a shit if I did die. The day before the end of summer, I defended Narcissa because she was trying to protect me from her husband and Voldemort. I am glad that she found someone else to love because loving Lucius is toxic, it will kill you, but loving me will kill you faster. She defended me from Lucius and the task he was giving me. I defended her from him, and for my insolence I got put under the Imperius Curse and killed her as she was telling me that she loved me."

Draco had a tortured expression on his face as he braced for Orion's weaponry to pierce his flesh.

Shaking he whispered, "I am so sorry, so so so sorry."

Orion released a sob as he crawled towards his brother's trembling form and collapsed against his side.

"It's not your fault and it has never been your fault." He murmured comfortingly, into his neck.

After a while, they both calmed and pushed themselves off of the floor and slumped against the sinks instead.

"What was she like? I mean I knew her in public and she seemed harsh, but I suppose she was in the same position as you." Hermione asked slowly.

Draco smiled tightly, "Yeah, she was sorry about that you know. Mum hated that she couldn't be herself in public, she hated that her parents had forced her into a marriage that she didn't want. She had wanted to marry someone else but he wasn't of a pure blood family so she was arranged to marry that bastard. My...Sorry...Our mum was so compassionate and loving. She tended to the wounds of the house elves when Lucius had gone too far. She defended me and fought against him, even when it was her life in the balance. Mum tried so hard to get Lucius to not give me the task but he doesn't listen to anyone other than Voldemort..."

"What's your mission?" Hermione asked, her voice filled with sympathy.

"My father...gave me a task to complete...it would double as my initiation...to become a Death Eater." He explained, trying to avoid the question, choking on his own words.

"What's the task, Draco?" Orion said softly.

"I can't do it...I have to get the dark side into the castle...undetected..." Draco paused and took a deep breath, he was crying. "And I have to kill Dumbledore."

There was silence. Only interrupt by the dripping of water into a sink.

"Oh my god." Hermione breathed into the silent bathroom.

The silence was pierced by a loud screech coming from the heavy wooden door. It slowly moved back to its original position, alerting the trio to an eavesdropper.

Draco stood and pointed his wand towards the door; it flew open almost ripping off of the hinges to reveal Harry fucking Potter.

**A.N. Sorry this was rushed. If you don't understand the Alice in Wonderland part, don't worry, I wrote it to cheer myself up**


	11. The Confession Disaster

**Chapter 11 - The Confession Disaster**

Harry overheard voices coming from Moaning Myrtle's Bathroom. He was intrigued. Harry knew this specific cluster of girls toilets were not used, due to the ghost of a girl, killed by the stare of a giant serpent that haunted them. Pressing his ear against the door, he began to eavesdrop.

"My father...gave me a task to complete...it would double as my initiation...to become a Death Eater." One clearly male voice explained, choking on his own words.

"What's the task, Draco?" Another male voice said softly.

Harry was startled, he knew Malfoy was vile, but he didn't realise that he was evil enough to be in Voldemort's inner circle.

"I can't do it...I have to get the dark side into the castle...undetected..." Draco paused and took a deep breath, he was crying. "And I have to kill Dumbledore."

There was silence. Only interrupt by the dripping of water into a sink.

"Oh my god." A girl breathed into the silent bathroom.

Harry leaned forward slightly to see if he could hear more and to his horror, the door moved a little but emitted a loud screech. He stood back, waiting to see if anyone had noticed. Harry breathed a sigh of relief when he heard no footsteps, but then the heavy oak door swung open, seemingly on its own, to reveal Malfoy standing straight, pointing his wand towards him.

"Ah Saint Potter. Do come in." Draco said with fake happiness, slipping his wand back into his pocket.

Harry accepted the invitation hesitantly, drawing out his wand. He felt safer with the eleven-inch stick of holly wood in his hand. Harry was only a little surprised to see Hermione standing next to Draco by the sinks.

"Granger, not really surprised to see you here. I see you are fraternising with the enemy." Harry said spitefully and then redirected his speech to Draco, "Surely you don't enjoy that mudblood slut's company."

Hermione's face dropped and became stony.

"Listen prick, you no longer know anything about me," She said, "Why were you standing outside the door?"

"Yeah, hear anything interesting?" Draco pitched in.

Orion Black stayed silent, content to watch the oncoming battle.

"Now that you mention it, yes, I did hear something fascinating. Expelliarmus!" Harry agreed, disarming Malfoy.

Draco wasn't fazed as he shielded himself from the onslaught of curses coming his way with the wandless and non-verbal magic he had mastered in secret over the years he had been at Hogwarts.

"I am not surprised you are becoming a Death Eater but...I...won't...let...you...and your...Death...Eater...pals...kill...Dumbledore..." Harry yelled between shouting curse after curse towards Draco.

The pair looked as if they were dancing, Harry on attack, pushing Draco, who was defending himself silently and wandlessly, backward.

Draco laughed at the pitiful being standing before him, "You idiot, you can't even eavesdrop right, or did you just miss the part where I said that I cannot and will not help the dark side."

"You are lying and I know it and you know it, you stupid bastard!" Harry yelled, his face twisting in rage, swinging his wand in an arch.

"My god, if this is what all of the light side is going to be like then I might as well join the dark side just to kill you off. Jesus Christ and you said I was stupid." Draco said.

Harry's face contorted in rage and he began throwing curses towards his old tormentor as if there were no tomorrow.

"SECTUMSEMPRA!" The golden boy screamed, swishing his wand blindly as if he were wielding a sword in a storm.

The curse hit the unsuspecting Hermione's form; blood seeped from under her shirt, quickly staining the brilliant white a deep crimson red. She staggered backwards a step as the curse struck her. Hermione looked down in shock to find her shirt ripped as if cut by a knife, shakily she peeled back the blood sodden material and saw deep gashes criss-crossing her stomach.

An unknown emotion rippled through Draco as he saw the light collide with Hermione's beautiful form. An animalistic urge surged through his body, wanting to inflict pain on anyone who so much as gave Hermione a headache, wanting to kill Potter for making his girl bleed.

Draco growled, "You fucking wanker." Taking a step towards the attackers frozen form.

Harry chuckled as Orion rushed over to Hermione to try to stop the blood flow.

"She deserves it," Harry exclaimed happily as if he were discussing something trivial like a birthday party, "Can't let that whore believe that it is okay to insult me and fraternise with the enemy when she knows our secrets."

You are truly insane. No wonder Voldemort wants to get rid of you." Draco said in an eerily calm voice, pushing his arm out, the palm of his hand facing the golden child, shoving him against the wall with an unseen force.

Orion pulled off his shirt thankful that the weather was cold enough to warrant the need to wear a t-shirt underneath. He didn't want to show everyone his scars just yet. Orion scrunched up the material and placed it against Hermione's wounds, trying to soak up the blood that was pouring from her wounds, forming a puddle beneath her.

"Is this really the time and place, Black? I mean your fuck buddy is dying and you're stripping so that you can get a quick one before she walks into the light. I would have thought better of you seeing as though you are related to Sirius." Harry exclaimed sinisterly, grinning as he saw that he had pushed all the right buttons.

Orion and Draco's eyes darkened. Orion's hands gripped the floor like claws as he snarled at the evil entity in the room. Draco's eyes were completely black, even the whites. His expression alone made Harry flinch, but with the continuous snarl coming from Draco's chest made Potter want to crawl away into a corner and die, except he stupidly stood his ground. The only notion you could see that conveyed that fearless Potter was scared was the fact that his legs were shaking, like leaves in the wind.

"I can taste your fear Potter." Draco growled his voice rough and deep with a dark almost evil tinge to it.

Harry flinched at his voice and tried to shuffle backwards towards the open door but stopped when Draco chuckled under his breathe.

"You're not going anywhere." He exclaimed menacingly, slamming the door shut wandlessly.

"Yeah you're right. I'm staying in the castle but you on the other hand will be going to Azkaban, for the murders of Hermione Granger and Narcissa Malfoy."

Draco froze, stuck in the last memory he had of his mother.

Orion growled at the pain coursing through his brothers' veins, "Draco didn't kill our mum, Lucius did."

"That's what he told you...hang on...you're brothers..."

Orion flicked out his arm and a lump of rock, which fell from the wall during the fight, flew at Potter's head, knocking him unconscious. He then charmed rope to bind Harry's limbs together. Once Orion was sure that he was not able to move, he sent a Patronus charm to Professor Snape, detailing the incident and pleading for aid.

He tried to stop the blood flow from the deep slashes in her torso, but nothing was working. Instead, Orion turned his attention to his newfound sibling, who looked as though he'd been petrified.

He placed his hands on either side of Draco's face and spoke to him clearly.

"This isn't your fault. What Lucius did to you and our mum wasn't your fault. You didn't murder her, your father did. We still love you."

But nothing Orion was doing was having an effect on Draco, and with Hermione drifting in and out of consciousness, it was like he was the only one there. A pang of loneliness brought on his own pain but he pushed it to the side, concentrating on getting Draco out of his mental torture.

The door behind him opened and Snape floated into the room. Seeing his godson in his torment, he made his way towards the pair.

"Help Hermione." Orion growled, his pain evident in his tone.

The stonehearted teacher flinched and diverted his path towards the barely conscious girl on the floor, but was stopped by an invisible barrier a meter away from her.

"Orion I can't help if you don't put your shield down."

Orion looked at him startled and tried to lower the shield around Hermione.

"It's not me." He replied confused.

"What?" Snape asked, equally confused.

"My shield's not up. It's not me."

Hermione whimpered in pain, whispering something before returning to unconsciousness.

A Patronus flickered into sight before them, it was a strange winged figure.

"It's not Orion who's protecting Hermione, it's Draco. The only one who can get him to lower the defences when he is stuck in a memory is Hermione. Orion, you can get through the shield, so you need to move her close enough to Draco that they can touch. The shield will then lower. We will be there soon. I'm sorry I didn't see it in time." Alerion's voice bounced off the cold stone bathroom walls, breaking their confusion, before disappearing as the Patronus dissolved.

"Fuck." Snape blurted into the silence that followed the disappearance of the white mist.

"Agreed." Orion replied before removing his hands from his brother's face.

He quickly walked over to Hermione, aware of the sheer amount of blood lost, and picked her up slowly, careful not to disrupt her wounds. Orion moved her closer to Draco and slipped her pale hand into his.

The effect was visible and unexpected, Snape could move towards them, but also the deep cuts were reducing, healing. When they reduced to faded scars, both Snape and Orion breathed a sigh of release.

However, a flash of pain throughout Orion's body almost made him drop Hermione's unconscious form. Snape took her off him and laid her on the floor.

"What's the matter?" Snape asked fearfully.

Orion groaned, feeling faint. He looked towards Draco, who had not moved.

Blood had soaked into his brother's shirt. Hermione's wounds had not disappeared, they had moved.

"No." Orion breathed, fear flooding his veins.

Draco showed no signs of noticing the slashes in his chest and stomach or the blood loss. He remained stood where he was. Orion sat on the floor as the world started to spin.

A moan to the right of Orion signalled the return of Hermione to consciousness.

Snape rushed to his godson's side.

"What's happened? What's wrong with...Draco?" Hermione asked frantically.

She picked herself off the floor and ran towards him, ignoring how her head span.

The doors crashed open.

"Don't let her touch him!" Andy screamed, rushing towards Draco as he collapsed to the floor.

Alerion and Ron followed close behind him.

Without asking questions, Orion flung himself at her ankle and caught it before she could reach her target, making Hermione hit the floor hard.

Snape checked Draco's vital signs. There was no pulse.

"No no no no." Hermione sobbed, "This can't be happening. This is my dream, this can't be happening."

Orion's body convulsed as it was flooded with dead feelings and slowly slipped into unconsciousness.

"Severus get out of my way and attend to the others," Andy said, going pale, "I have to do this."

He rubbed his hands together and placed them on either side of Draco's face, closing his tear-filled eyes. Andy pushed all the energy in the room into Draco, leaving the people he was drawing it from, feeling suffocated and lifeless.

"Ron I need you to do CPR...Now!"

The two worked over his lifeless body for what seemed like a lifetime, with no change. Both covered in his crimson blood.

"Fuck Draco. Do something." Alerion yelled.

Andy felt his wrist again, not removing his hands from Draco's flesh to keep the energy connection flowing.

Ron stopped his movements, "His heart is beating on its own."

Andy breathed a sigh of relief as he withdrew the energy flow from Draco, the mixture of depressing and hopeful emotions were taking a toll on him and he too vomited on the cold stone floor. He curled into a ball and shielded himself from the onslaught of contrasting energies.

"We need to take them to Pomfrey." Snape said into the silence.

Andy went to stand but fell back down again.

"Snape take Orion. I will take Andy, and we will float Draco, as he is the worst off. Ron can drag Potter. Hermione can walk with us." Alerion stated forcefully, making for no objections.

He helped his brother to his feet and hauled Andy on to his back. No one questioned Alerion's orders for fear of what he would do. Ron fortified the bounds around Harry's limbs and pulled him across the floor towards the bathroom entrance. Professor Snape smirked as the One-Who-Lived rebounded off the cold stone archway. His expression soon turned solemn as he remembered the unconscious boys on the floor. He picked up Orion in his arms and was frightened by how fragile the boy looked clutched to his chest. After Alerion summoned a stretcher to carry Draco, they set off.

They walked slowly, like a funeral train, through the castle towards the Infirmary, aware of the sheer amount of blood that had dried on them.

The bell rang signalling the end of the first lesson. Classes of students surrounded them.

"What the hell have you done to my Harry?" Ginny's voice screamed from the crowd.

Others had not noticed his body being dragged by the youngest Weasley male, but now they had done, and the abuse shouted at them escalated.

"You lot are going to get us all killed."

"You are nothing special, just a bunch of weirdoes."

"Go kill yourselves, we don't need you here."

"You're all worthless."

A growl louder than the building swarm exploded from Alerion's chest, his eyes turning darker than night, and grew with intensity until the walls were shaking.

"Shut the fuck up all of you. I am not a teacher; I am not governed by your rules. I will not hesitate hexing whoever speaks next. DO NOT PUSH ME. My brother and I are under the same laws as Orion and Draco are, so we can kill you with no repercussions. Get it into your thick skulls that we are here to stay and nothing you do is going to change that."

The gathered flinched at his tone and stepped back. One idiot seemed to have a death wish.

"That's complete and utter bull and you know it. There is only one law. You all think so highly of yourselves that you think you're above the law, when you're not. Just look at Malfoy, Black and Tuck there, all weak and helpless."

The crowd laughed and parted to reveal the speaker.

Pansy Parkinson.

"You stupid little girl. They aren't weak; they are so strong that Draco saved Hermione's life twice and survived dying; Orion felt Draco die in his head and is still breathing; Andy saved Draco and Orion's lives with his mental state on the line. What the fuck have you done lately?"

He shot a weak curse to Pansy and she crumpled to the floor in a faint.

"Anyone else wanna fuck around 'cause now is not the time?"

Everyone stepped back again allowing them to continue.

Hermione grabbed Orion and Draco's hands in support for them and the support it gave her, as they made their way towards the Infirmary.

They crashed through the doors and Pomfrey was upon them in seconds.

"Put them on the bed; you too Miss Granger. What happened?"

Alerion explained quickly, "Potter attacked them, cursed Hermione, called Draco a murderer so went back into his memories, Orion knocked the scum out, and Draco was stuck in his memories but was shielding her from harm. Therefore, when Snape arrived he could not help, so Orion moved Hermione so that they were touching and the curse transferred to him, he must have drawn it into himself. Orion felt him die."

"My god." She gasped.

"We then arrived from our excursion, Andy brought Draco back to life but my brother can't stand up, the energy loss I think."

After a moment of thought, Pomfrey exclaimed, "Everybody out!"

The Tuck twins hissed, their bodies tensing as if under attack.

Alerion growled in a threatening manner, "I am not leaving my brother, alone, not again. Snape has to stay for Orion, not that he knows that yet. And it would be unfair to make Ron go alone, he will be attacked by other houses."

The nurse bustled about the room, grabbing every known potion to mankind.

"Fine. Here drink this Miss Granger; it will help with your blood loss." She said, sticking a foul coloured liquid under her nose.

Hermione grimaced as she swallowed the thick medicine; it tasted like a dreadful mixture of Night Nurse and Peach Schnapps.

Madame Pomfrey then began assessing the brothers' conditions. She pulled out her wand and did a full body scan on the boys, whilst closing the lacerations in Draco's skin. Frowning she turned to the members of the group who weren't bed bound.

"You may have broken Draco's ribs during CPR, but at least he is alive, thanks to Andy and Mr Weasley of course. He has multiple fractures and scar tissue all over his body. Orion's symptoms are strange, it is as if he did die as well, but you said he didn't. He also has fractures and scars, but I knew that from when he came during the holidays. His new wounds include scarred bones that match Draco's new fractures and breaks. This doesn't make sense... Andy is suffering from shock and exhaustion, because of reviving Mr Malfoy; I don't see how his 'power' works though."

Alerion supressed a growl, "You don't know what we are, so it doesn't make sense. And I'm sorry but you can't know until they figure it out."

"How can I help them if I don't know what they are?" She argued back, aware of how close she was getting to being ripped apart by him.

He calmed as she spoke, recognising the compassion filtering through her voice; Alerion's eyes returned to thier normal colour, "The brothers are still partly human, treat them as such. I am sorry for the way I have acted but it is mandatory that they know first."

The nurse accepted his reasoning's for now and started to heal the trio. She cast many charms over the unconscious pair, but soon began frowning.

"The spells are not working, the sheer amount of them are cancelling each other out. I need muggle medicine." She said, her hands shaking.

Hermione was struggling against the potion Madame Pomfrey had given her, but soon she succumbed to the dream-less-sleep draught.

Soon the nurse had attached an IV and heart monitor to the boys; using magic as for the first time in her life, she did not trust her own hands. A steady beat filled the room, announcing to them that the brothers' hearts contracted and relaxed at exactly the same time.

A small smile appeared on Hermione's face, even in unconsciousness she was still in tune with her two best friends. She began feeling her way around the bed and whimpering, as she didn't find what she was looking for.

Sighing, Alerion wheeled her bed between the two unconscious boys and lay her hand next to theirs. She sighed in relief as her fingertips touched theirs. Andy grinned as he watched from his bed.

"Hey nurse, what's my solution?" He smiled in her direction.

"A slap around your face for getting into this mess. No. You can have this bar of chocolate; I want you to eat it all, and some well-earned sleep. You should be proud three people are still alive because of your quick thinking. Well done."

Andy lit up at her words, "Thank you." He choked on his words.

Tears filled his eyes and he giggled as he took a bite into the soft chocolate. Soon he had devoured the whole lot and he pushed himself under the covers.

Snape cleared his throat, "Why am I staying?"

Alerion raised his eyebrow to the man. Severus shuffled awkwardly under his gaze.

"Are you telling me you don't know?" He asked in disbelief.

"Know what?" Snape said confused.

"My god. She didn't tell you."

"Who and what?"

"Narcissa Malfoy never told you that you have a son."

The professor froze, "What?" He whispered.

"Orion Black is your son and heir."

"Fuck." He breathed before sitting down by his newfound son's bedside and holding his untaken hand. He rubbed his face with his free hand and suddenly looked like an old man.

"Get some sleep Sev. You're gunna need it in the morning. Good night." Alerion murmured apologetically.

Andy lifted up the cover by his side.

"Get in, after pushing me closer to the others please."

Alerion grumbled, then did as his brother wished, before widening the bed a little with magic.

"Ron could you put Potter in the corner and then move out of the way please?" Andy said sinisterly.

The redheaded boy did as asked and stood at the opposite end of the room.

The Tuck brother started saying a complex spell that made the air feel like static. A crushing pressure began at the back of thier ears before abating. Potter woke at that moment and began attempting to claw at his binds in an attempt to escape. A silent scream appeared on his lips. A bright light shone that had the conscious beings in the room cowering away from, but left behind a slightly shimmery clear shield that housed the would-be-murderer. The boy struggled against the defences as it closed on him, leaving a metre square box for the golden child to spend the night in.

"Was that really necessary?" The nurse inquired.

Andy shrugged, before wiggling down into the bed.

Tutting Madame Pomfrey bustled off to her quarters and Ron transfigured a hospital bed into the plushest sofa in the planet, before kicking off his shoes and diving into the cushions. He sighed from the comfort.

"Ah I love magic," He smiled, his eyes closed, "Good night guys."

All those conscious murmured a reply and settled in for the night.

Quiet arguing startled Hermione awake and she unintentionally began to eavesdrop.

"Why did you come get me from the orphanage, why didn't you save me from that bastard?" Orion snarled.

Snape paled and stepped back as his son's shield grew before his eyes, protecting himself from him.

"I didn't know I had a child. Narcissa never told me."

"I don't believe you." His son shouted; a knife flew towards Severus' throat before stopping with the tip against his flesh.

A single tear slipped down the professor's cheek for the first time in many years.

Alerion coughed to get the attention of the boy, "Orion, if your mother had told Snape then Voldemort would have been able to see it and he would have told Lucius and Narcissa would have been tortured by Lucius and so would have Snape. Both of your parents would have been dead. Lucius would then go on to kill you and possibly Draco too. Ms Black never told a soul for fear of your life."

Ignoring the moving speech, Orion picked up on one piece of information, "You knew and you didn't tell me. Why?"

The beat from the heart rate monitor became faster and faster the angrier he became. By this time, everyone was awake bar Draco, which was to be expected.

Andy spoke to his brother's defence, "We didn't know until you told Draco the names. My brother saw Draco's reaction and his answer but we didn't know beforehand. But would you have wanted us to tell you or would you have rather family tell you?"

Orion closed his eyes and began to relax; his transfigured weapons wavered and fell to the floor.

"Ok. I believe you...Snape."

Snape sat down heavily, pulled a hip flask from his cloak, and took a swig of the amber liquid.

"I see the love of alcohol runs in the family." Andy joked as he rose from his bed.

Snape went to reprimand his son but thought better of it. Raising his eyebrow, he offered the beverage to the boy. Orion grinned and drank a mouthful of the liquor, not flinching as it burnt the back of his throat, not like his father expected.

Muffled laughs fluttered around the room and the professor looked sheepish as the nurse walked in and began opening the curtains. Orion quietly slipped the silver flask under his pillow without Pomfrey noticing, before looking around the room innocently.

The woman raised her eyebrow in question before shaking her head and returning to her office.

The room seemed to relax further as the nurse disappeared.

A whimper of pain left Draco's lips before he relaxed again. Hermione's heart clenched at the sound and she strengthened her grip on his hand.

"Why didn't you let me get to Draco when he collapsed?" Hermione sniffled.

Andy groaned, "If you had touched him the curse would have gone back to you and you would have died and we couldn't have saved you. Draco would have killed us. We didn't stop you holding his hand after his resurrection because it wouldn't have worked then."

"How and why?" She asked confused.

Alerion answered sighing, "We can't tell you, Draco and you have to figure it out yourselves, together. What did you mean 'this was my dream'?"

"When I was still in Gryffindor, first night this year, I had a nightmare. It started all sweet; I was in a beautiful meadow. The birds were singing and the sun was shining, I felt good you know," She smiled slowly, before turning grim, "But then it turned cold and I got scared. Draco was stood in the middle, his shirt cut open. He was bleeding from what looked like knife lacerations, just like that curse Harry used. Then Draco collapsed and it felt like everything good got sucked out of the world."

Andy grinned and high-fived his brother, "We might have another seer in our midst, this is so cool...Sorry."

Hermione and Orion both glared at the twins before turning their attention to the big double doors as Dumbledore powered his way through them.

"Where's Potter?" He said, sorrow evident in his voice.

The gathered pointed to the corner in silence. The head teacher waved his hands and field surrounding the boy disappeared. Upon noticing his confinements gone, Harry jumped up and ran towards the doors for his escape. However, he came to a stop as he saw three suits of armour marching towards him swords drawn. They had him surrounded.

"This is hardly funny, call them off old man." He growled.

Dumbledore looked around startled, "It's not me. This is McGonagall's speciality, so this must be Orion. Well done, you're getting better."

"What the hell, I haven't done anything to you Black." Potter snarled in annoyance.

Orion glared at the boy, "Like hell you haven't. You tried to kill my friend, you made my brother return to his memories, you killed Draco and I felt him die. Do you know that feels like, to have someone you love die before you and you actually feel the life drain from them because of some fucked up link you have. Have you ever felt that?"

The not-so-golden boy chuckled, "Come on you're exaggerating because everyone knows that feeling someone else's emotions is impossible."

This time Andy laughed at Potter's ignorance, "Not so, hasn't learning of magic proven you anything? Everything is possible."

Andy placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, squeezing past the steel warriors. He pushed the emotions he felt at the asylum towards Potter. He gasped and began shaking. Andy stopped the flow of energy and stood back to wait.

Potter began to relax, his face contorted in anger as he drew his wand out of his pocket.

"Avada..." He began, but one of the knights sticking his sword between his shoulder blades stopped him and another thrust his weapon to the boy's throat.

The curse died on his lips.

"Harry James Potter, I condemn you to life imprisonment in Azkaban for two counts of attempted murder and one murder. How do you plead?" Dumbledore said solemnly.

Definitely guilty, they deserved it," He grinned. "I'm just sad that I didn't succeed."

Alerion, Orion and Andy snarled in retaliation as Hermione gasped in shock. The walls shook with the sound. For the first time the Tuck brothers were thankful that Draco was still unconscious, for they would be scrapping what was left of the body from the walls. Harry flinched and stepped backwards away from the sound, forgetting about the animated suit of armour behind him.

For the first time Ron spoke up, "You fucking bastard." He growled.

The black scruffy haired boy grinned. He reached into his cloak pocket, pulled out a silver ring, and began fumbling it between his fingers. The circle of metal began glowing, a vibrant colour that shone on the walls.

"No." Alerion whispered as he gazed at the source of the pulsating light.

"Yes." Potter smiled evily as he clenched the metallic object in his fist.

He closed his eyes. The light passed over his body and was absorbed by his skin. Quickly his eyes opened revealing bright red irises, Hermion shivered at the cold look in his eye. Grinning he winked as he muttered an incantation under his breath, before apparating away with a shock wave that knocked everyone standing to the floor.

"Fuck no." Orion snarled.

Dumbledore stared at the patch where had Potter stood, "That's impossible." He breathed.

Footsteps could be heard running towards them, a member of the Order charged her way into the room ignoring the snarls at her intrution.

"Crabbe and Goyle have gone, Albus. They have escaped."

**A.N. - I have uploaded the pic for the 'Cover' and I drew it, you may not be able to see it properly because I took it on my phone...my phone camera is shit :) It portrays Orion how I see him, so please say if you like it, it took me forever so please be nice ;)**


	12. Metal Soldiers

**Chapter 12 - Metal Soldiers**

Orion emitted a snarl that had the young order member shaking and backing away from the animated suits of armour. With swords drawn, they advanced on her.

"Orion. Stop. It's not his fault." A voice croaked from behind them.

Draco's brother continued to snarl at the woman, only stopping the metal soldiers when the tips of the sabres had begun to dig into the black haired girl's flesh.

Hermione pulled herself off the floor and pressed her hands on either side of Orion's face.

"What's your name?" Draco asked.

The girl gulped, "Sophia."

"Sophia, don't move. 'Mione will you please take my brother out of here?"

Hermione nodded and began to lead Orion out of the room, without much resistance; one of the steel guards followed them, leaving the other two to protect the group.

They all breathed a sigh of relief as he disappeared from view.

"What happened?"

"Their cells began glowing, so I walked cautiously to the door to look in. I could not see what was happening because of the red light. The glow stopped and a pulse of energy ripped through the wall and knocked me to the floor. When I woke up they had gone." She explained slowly, backing away from the advancing soldiers.

"Wow, Orion's getting stronger." Andy whistled in appreciation, before slipping between the armour and Sophia.

The guards slowed but did not stop. The Tuck brother and the girl walked backwards, Sophia clutching on to his shoulders. Her back hit the wall and she looked around frantic for an escape route, there was none.

The metal soldiers advanced, their weapons drawn. Andy took a deep breath and reached his hand out towards the first moving statue. Slowly he closed his eyes as if afraid of what could happen; his flesh touched the cold, hard exterior of the metal man. The being shuddered as the two made contact, before freezing with weapons drawn; its joints grinding together as its energy drained out of it. After a while, Andy opened one eye to find both knights had frozen back to their original lifeless forms.

"Whoa. I didn't expect that to work." He said breathlessly, surprised he had not been run through with a rapier.

Dumbledore spoke up from where he was watching, "You are also getting stronger, Andy. Don't forget that."

He nodded his thanks before going to retrieve Orion and Hermione.

"Ah fuck." Andy thought as he saw Orion passed out on the floor.

Alerion chuckled behind him, "Well, that's new."

Hermione was sat on the floor beside Orion, "I don't know what happened, one minute he's growling as if he's fighting himself, the next he goes quiet and slumps to the floor."

"Yeah...that would be my fault," Andy said sheepishly, "I absorbed the energy out of his soldiers, so that they didn't kill us, and because they are part of Orion, the energy I drew out of the armour was actually his. That is why he is unconscious."

Andy lifted his friend's body on to his shoulder and carried him back into the Infirmary.

Draco growled at the sight of his brother but managed to tame the beast inside as Hermione explained what happened. He shook his head at Orion and waited for him to wake up.

Dumbledore stepped forward and cleared his throat, "Whilst you were busy trying not to get killed by Orion, I isolated the source of the magic used by Misters Potter, Crabbe and Goyle as you have probably guessed it's very Dark magic, but what you don't know is where it sent them."

"So where'd they go?" Hermione asked, "I assume they were working together."

"From what I can gather, yes they were working together." Their head teacher sighed.

Draco looked confused for a second, "So they are working for Voldemort?"

Dumbledore looked his age for the first time ever, "Yes I believe so."

"So where are they?" Andy asked warily.

The old man looked at Draco, "Malfoy Manor."

"Fuck." Draco and the twins said simultaneously

"What does that mean?" Sophia asked from the corner.

"That means my death certificate has been written. Lucius and Voldemort now know I'm dead against the mission and all they stand for. Hopefully when the time comes I'll be able to take them both down with me." He stated emotionlessly.

"Cheer up, we will be right by your side, dancing around their burning bodies. We won't let them take you." Andy mused, his yes glazing over as he imagined the death of Malfoy Senior and Tom Riddle.

"Be realistic, only martyrs burn, like Joan of Arc; dark bastards would smoulder at best." Hermione giggled.

Draco laughed, "Who'd have thunk, according to your unbeatable logic I am a martyr."

"How'd you figure that out?" Alerion asked, slightly fearful of the answer.

He shrugged, "Lucius tried to burn me alive a few weeks ago, he succeeded, but he couldn't kill off his heir, especially if that heir was to become the Dark Lord's next right hand man."

"You have to be kidding me; I am going to kill that piece of shit." Orion growled, finally awake.

"We will do it together." Draco said pulling out a tin from inside his cloak pocket.

The gathered looked at him questioningly as he raised a rolled fag to his lips and lit it with the tip of his wand.

"What?" He asked slightly confused.

"You smoke?" Snape said needing clarification on the situation.

Draco snickered, "Yeah, just not around Lucius."

Orion shrugged at his answer, propelled himself off the bed he had been put on and snatched the packet for himself.

The twins looked at Dumbledore in question and found him looking impassive at the situation.

"You're ok with them smoking in school?" Alerion asked cautiously.

"There are worse things out there to worry about." The old man said gazing out of the window.

Andy pumped his fist and quickly ran towards the little cardboard box before the head teacher changed his mind. He slipped Orion's lighter out of his fingertips and lit the end of two paper cylinders.

"You guys owe me, I spent ages rolling them." Draco said seriously.

"Yes sire." Andy replied rolling his eyes as he slipped one to his brother and raised his eyebrow at the frowning Nurse.

"What? We are still teenagers; we can ruin our lives however we like. We don't have to act like adults all of the time, we are among friends." Alerion stated.

Pomfrey sighed, "You are smoking them in my domain, as long as the smoke from your cancerous sticks stays around you and doesn't spread then fine."

She then walked towards her office and shot a look at Dumbledore as she closed the door behind her.

He grumbled, "I advise you to leave here and go back to your house before she comes through that door."

"Yeah you are probably right." Andy said as he scrambled off the bed he was sat on and ran for the door, pulling the Auror, giggling, with him.

Everyone stared at his back in disbelief as it disappeared behind the doorframe.

"I see someone is in a rush to get back to their own room." Dumbledore chuckled.

Everyone stilled as Madame Pomfrey's door handle moved.

Mass panic ensued. Hermione whipped her wand out and began 'Scorgifing' the beds and the surrounding areas. Draco filtered the air and got rid of the smoke and the smell that lingered in the walls whilst his brother returned his now inanimate suits of armour to the places of origin. Alerion made the beds return to their normal positions before sprinting after his brother. The rest then followed him, leaving a dishevelled Dumbledore on his own with a pine smelling air freshener around his neck.

As they made it to their common room door, they all collapsed in hysterics. Andy emerged from the depths of En Lucem's common room and opened the door for them..

"Sophia is inside; apparently the spirit of the house wants her here as the doorway was visible to her." Andy shrugged and held the door back as they walked past.

Two new doors had appeared in the public rooms. One said 'Security', the other had 'Kitchen' etched into the surface. Ron cheered at the sight of the new doors and made a beeline for the Kitchens. The others followed just to make sure that he did not eat them out of house and home.

They gasped as they walked through the door. Pots and pans hung from the rafters, of a very converted barn looking room, above a chunky wooden table with eight chairs surrounding it. A stove stood in the far corner next to a large blood red American style Smeg fridge.

A loud crack startled them all and Dobby looked sheepish as he appeared in the middle of the table.

He cleared his throat, "Dumbledore told Dobby to give you this note. Also Dobby is pleased that Dumbledore let me become the cook for Mister Draco and his friends."

Those who knew the elf cheered at the prospect of house elf-cooked food by their dear friend and patted him on the back.

Dobby smiled at the surrounding people, pleased to have a place where he is appreciated.

"Can you make us lunch please?" Ron asked as his stomach rumbled.

The elf grinned and started to work his magic as the rest of them sat at the table. Hermione rolled her eyes at the rest, waved her wand, and began to set the table. China plates and silver cutlery flew from cupboards before settling in place before each person.

Alerion remembered the note Dobby had spoken of and slipped it from a belt around the busy elf's waist.

To En Lucem,

I gather you have found the new doors and I bet the 'Kitchens' was the first you explored due to Ronald's stomach.

I believe that it is better for your health and the well-being of the school that you have your breakfast there on school days, so that there is less confrontation with the rest of the school about the disappearance of Mister Potter.

The door with the word 'Security' is for the Auror in your midst. Sophia will find everything she needs in that room to help protect your house.

Lastly, about your classes, Hagrid has no time to tutor you, being the Ground Keeper as well, so you will have to attend his class.

I will send you a timetable later on in the week.

Professor Dumbledore

Ron scowled at the mention of lessons, "I hope we at least share the lesson with either the Ravenclaws or the Hufflepuffs, hopefully they would be the least violent towards us."

Orion scoffed, "They will still hate us, and we have 'killed' Potter."

Dobby interrupted the depressing talk of education by placing a small mountain of freshly cooked bacon sandwiches on the table in front of them.

The redheaded boy was the first to grab a folded slice of bread and was halfway through before he picked up another. The gathered looked on in disbelief as Ron reached out his hand to manhandle a third sandwich. Hermione slid the plate away from him so that it was out of arm's length.

"'Mione, what you doing?" He said around a mixture of half chewed white bread and crispy bacon.

She scrunched her nose up at his manners, leant over, and placed a hand under Ronald's chin to close his mouth.

"One, swallow food before speaking; two, eat slower so that you won't get hiccups; and three, leave some for everyone else."

Ron rolled his eyes and charmed the plate closer to himself and winked at Hermione good-naturedly. Everyone chuckled at his antics and grabbed a sandwich for their-selves.

The large pile of food was soon gone. Ron was about to open his mouth to complain about the lack of nourishment when Dobby placed a small stack of pancakes in front of them. This time Draco pulled the platter towards him and began loading up his own plate. Lemons, sugar, golden syrup, melted chocolate and jam soon began shooting around the table as they added them to their batter-y goodness.

Once all the pancaked had been devoured, Alerion spoke up.

"Our enemies are gathering, you know this, and with Potter, Crabbe and Goyle on the loose this could be the end of your trust for everyone. But I know you are stronger than that. So you really need to figure out what you are, so that we can train for the final battle together and so that you know your limits."

The half-brothers nodded in agreement.

"Where would we start looking?" Hermione asked.

"I'd start in the Restricted Section of the Library, we can write you a note, but we aren't sure what you'd find there."

"Alright we shall start there." Orion said standing up.

Draco and Hermione followed suit and walked towards the kitchen door.

Draco stopped and asked, "Ron, are you coming?"

The boy grinned and stood quickly to follow them.

"Sophia do you want to come with us?" Hermione questioned.

Andy replied, "Sorry she has to stay with us, we need to talk to her."

Orion growled before suppressing it, "Sorry." He said sheepishly.

The Tuck brother's shared a look before pushing them out of the door.

"What the hell was that about?" Ron asked as they stood on the opposite side of the kitchen door.

"I...don't know." Orion replied confused.

The rest shrugged and began their way towards the library.

When they reached the Great Hall, they found a hoard led by Ginny Weasley waiting for them.

"For the love of god, can we not catch a break?" Draco sighed.

"You fucking bastards, what have you done with my boyfriend?" She screeched.

"Is that it, you brought a small army with you to ask where Potter is?" Hermione released a cold chuckle.

The Weasley girl let out a scream of frustration and sent a curse towards Hermione. Draco growled and gracefully twirled his girl out of the way of the beam of light. It hit the wall behind them making the stonework fracture and chip.

The four of them raised their wands in defence. The group that were barring their way raised their wands too.

"Tut tut tut, I don't think so," Draco smiled, "Expelliarmus!"

Twenty or so wands flew from their grasping hands and clattered to the floor behind En Lucem. Draco slipped his wand back into his pocket and nodded to the others to do the same.

"Whatever happens, no magic guys, I have a theory and we need it tested." Draco murmured to the other three.

The other side seemed to have made a decision as they rushed towards the four of them. The brothers ran towards them, aware that numbers were not on their side, and dropped to their knees and slid across the floor under the enemies flailing arms. Using a combination of kidney punches and taking out their ankles, Draco and Orion managed to stop half of the opposing army in their tracks, before the rest had even reached the other two. They jumped up just as those left standing realised what they were doing; dodging poorly formed fists and badly aimed kicks.

One lucky person managed to hit Draco in the nose, the crack of the bone giving way under the force reverberated around the corridor. He grinned and returned the favour by grabbing the lucky Gryffindor by the out-stretched arm and kicking out his feet as he swung round. The boy's feet left the floor and managed to knock his surrounding colleagues off their feet. Draco let go and let the guy fly the short distance to the wall, knocking all those in his way over like bowling pins.

No one had managed to hit Orion, but the constant warring with himself was wearing him down. His instincts were screaming at him to throw up his shield, but he held it in. He could feel the punches coming towards him when he closed his eyes and with them open, they seemed to slow down. A six foot four monster of a boy appeared in front of him and picked him up by the collar. Oxygen was having a hard time getting into Orion's lungs yet he smiled.

"So you're not gunna fight me? You're so fucking weak." The boy exclaimed.

Orion winked as he swung his legs up and put them on the giant's shoulders, squeezing the boy's throat between his thighs until he let go of his collar and tried to move his legs. Orion let his torso fall towards the floor quickly, stretching his arms out underneath him, before moving his legs at the hip. The boy whimpered as he was forced to bend over whilst being pulled off the floor, Orion quickly moved his legs from his throat to under the boy's arms and whipped over, his hands on the floor as he back flipped. Orion relaxed his legs and effectively threw the Gryffindor. He slammed into wall and didn't move from where he landed on the floor.

Hermione was doing a good job of defending herself from the attackers; she and Ron were working together back to back. Ginny came towards them grinning.

"I can't hurt my sister." Ron murmured.

"Don't worry she is all mine." Hermione replied growling.

The redheaded girl stepped towards her and pulled a sword like implement from inside her cloak. She began swinging the blade in an infinity pattern before pointing it out straight and resting on her back foot like a fencer. Ginevra charged at her old friend and swung the sword towards Hermione's head. She ducked and rolled out of the way. Fear evident in her eyes as her best friend's sister attacked her. A body appeared behind her, grabbed her arms, and pulled her up from the floor.

"Let me lead." Draco said, pulling her body flush with his.

Ginny began her attack again. Her sword swung in an arc downwards towards them both and Draco stepped them both out of the way. He lifted her on to his feet as the blade skimmed her trouser leg. Enraged the girl began swinging the short sword to the side and quickly changing direction. Draco began calculating where the tip of the sword would be and started to counteract it. By this time, all the fighting had stopped to watch the trio fight. Draco kicked out one leg, holding Hermione around the waist, and propelled her into the air above his head. The sword collided with the side of his boot and shuddered against the metal toecap and buckles. He placed Hermione on the floor in front of her again as Ginny prepared for her next attempt.

"You ok?" Draco asked the girl he was holding.

She opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted by the female Weasley doing a series of jabs towards her stomach. Hermione kicked out on her own accord, hitting the flat side of the blade with her boot, and sent the sword veering off course.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She finally answered, her breathing heavy and cheeks flushed.

Ginny stilled the blade and began hacking at Hermione's knees. Draco spun her over the blade and Ginny moved the tip of the blade upwards a little, so that it cut into Hermione's flesh. He growled loudly as his eyes darkened. Hermione grinned at her old friend and kicked out hard, knocking the sword out of Ginny's hands. Draco caught the blade mid-air at the hilt and he frowned as he examined it and passed it to Hermione.

Hermione stepped forwards, still smiling, and Ginny stepped back slightly scared of what was to happen to her now. She ran towards the girl who attacked her, jumped a meter away from her and kicked Ginny straight in the chest, knocking her to the floor. She placed a heavy boot clad foot on her stomach.

A glint of silver and jade pulled her attention. Using the tip of the blade Hermione slid the chain from under the girl's shirt. A 'M' shaped pendant with a serpent wrapped around it was linked to the chain.

"'Mione, move over. Don't touch it." Draco exclaimed, pulling her away from the necklace.

He took the sword from her and pressed it against Ginny's throat. Draco reached down and tore the chain away from her neck, the catch breaking with the force used. He stiffened as the snake on the pendant moved and wrapped around his wrist. Orion placed a hand on his brother shoulder and he relaxed as the viper began to crack and fall to the floor.

"Hey Harry gave me that." Ginny cried.

Draco growled, "Did he really? Because only one of these exist in the whole world and it belongs to Lucius Malfoy. Mind telling me how he got it from my father and survived if he is on the 'good' side?"

Tears appeared in her eyes as she struggled to form an answer.

"Do you know what it does?" He continued, "It gives Voldemort a direct link into your brain. He tells you what to do, when to do it and you don't remember after taking it off, which is why you never want to take it off because Voldemort can't control you without you wearing it. If someone else takes it off of you, the snake, representing Nagini, attacks them mentally and kills them."

Ginny began to sob as the truth sank in.

"You have been led by an individual who was not themselves through no fault of their own. For that reason and that alone, I suggest that all those injured should go to the Infirmary before I change my mind. And don't be stupid, if someone is unconscious help them there and take them with you." Draco ordered.

Ginny stayed where she was on the floor crying.

"Ginny I suggest you go too, the kick Hermione gave you is going to bruise badly." He said softly.

She picked herself off the floor and made her way to the Infirmary, arms wrapped around her chest.

"Thank you for doing that." Hermione said as she kissed Draco on the cheek.

Ron clapped him on the back and smiled, "Are you aware of how awesome you looked when you were fighting my sister? It was as if you were dancing; you work amazingly as a team. And thank you Draco for not killing Ginny and saving Hermione from her."

"No problem, I know what it's like to be under the influence of that thing. Hermione didn't need saving which is why she stayed as part of the fight and it was all instinct." Draco shrugged, not used to being thanked as he held Hermione close to his body.

"I can second that it was instincts," Orion said, "By the way, your nose is broken."

Hermione rolled her eyes at Draco not remembering his broken bone and pulled her wand out, "Episkey."

Draco felt the bone and cartilage return to normal and kissed Hermione on the temple in thanks.

"Tergeo." He said, removing the dried blood that had run down to his chin.

They once again started to walk towards the Library, Orion and Ron were talking about their best moves and arguing over whose was better.

"The sword that Ginny had was also Lucius'. It confirms that Potter is working for the dark side." Draco sighed.

Hermione slipped her hand in his and squeezed it gently, "Don't worry, we will get them, but first we have to find out what you are."

"Yay fun." He replied sarcastically.

She giggled and began dragging him behind her. The other two stopped their arguing and ran after them.

They peered through the doorway, Madame Pince was sat at her desk, watching over those who were studying. They quickly and quietly made their way to the Librarian.

"We need to go in the Restricted Section." Hermione said softly.

"Do you have a note?" She replied, not looking up from the book she was reading.

They all routed through their pockets in search of the permission slip their heads of year had written. They looked sheepish as they came up empty.

A paper plane hit Ron square between the eyes.

"What the f..." He trailed off as he picked up the paper off the floor, "Here's the note."

Ron passed the plane to the teacher and shuffled uncomfortably as she unfolded it.

Madame Pince peered over her glasses and said, "Fine go on then." As she waved them towards the bookshelves.

The four sat themselves down amongst the tomes.

"Where should we start?" Ron said as he put his feet up on the desk.

Hermione pushed his legs off the table as she replied, "We should start with what has changed with you and see what happens from there."

The brothers began listing the many symptoms they had noticed, Hermione noted them down on a piece of parchment.

"Easily angered." Ron said quickly as he moved out of arms reach.

Orion growled but quickly stopped, as he realised that he was right.

Draco snorted as his brother glared at the redheaded boy.

"When we were fighting, we found that everything slowed down so that we could deal with it." He added.

"What like in the 'Matrix'?" Ron asked.

"What?" Draco answered confused.

"It's a muggle movie where the main character Neo finds that in what he thought was the real world anything is possible, like dodging bullets and fighting quickly. But the film shows the fight scenes slightly blurred too look as though they are going fast and slow at the same time. It's one of my favourite films. I made Ron watch it once," Hermione shrugged and waved away questions, "You'll just have to watch it yourself."

"Ok, yeah I suppose it was a little like that but each move against us was clear and we could feel if someone was about to attack us from behind. And I feel strongly, not sure about Orion though."

"Most definitely feel stronger."

Hermione added it to the list and began pulling books off the shelves. She shared the books between them and began flicking through the pages, skimming the written words. The rest followed suit. Ron opened his book with a sigh but soon ploughed through the tome and reached for another.

Six hours later they had gone through all the books in the Dark Mythical Creatures section and they still had found no humanoid creatures even closely resembling Draco and Orion or their symptoms, so they made their way back to the Common Room, tired and aching after the reading marathon.

They shuffled past the Tuck brothers and collapsed on the floor of their private Common Room. Dobby appeared with seven mugs of hot chocolate, complete with whipped cream, marshmallows and chocolate sprinkles, and hovered them in mid-air.

Everyone grabbed a mug and sipped at the liquid. They let out a collective sigh as they relaxed.

"Did you find anything?" Andy asked.

The four glared at him, tensing up.

"Does it look like we found anything?" Orion growled.

Sophia shuffled over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. Surprisingly Orion stopped his noise and relaxed into her side.

Andy and Alerion shared a look.

"What was that?" Draco asked forcefully.

The brothers shuffle uncomfortably, unable to answer the question.

"Fine. I'm going to bed." He snarled, standing up and taking his drink with him.

Hermione shrugged at the pair and followed Draco into his room. Orion glared at them before he too went to his room, leaving the Tuck brothers, Ron and Sophia in their Common Room.

**A.N. - I am sooooo sorry for the long ass wait but I only planned so far and I have literally run out of ideas; I know what is gunna happen at the end but if anyone has any ideas for the in-between please please please put them in your review**

**Also does anyone like my story 'cover'? I drew it myself; I can do something different if you want.**


	13. Death Awaits

**Chapter 13 - Death Awaits**

Days had passed and the quartet had still not found any information that was useful to them. Classes had started for the rest of school and during free times, Professors would turn up in the Library for private study lessons for En Lucem. But the teachers had grately underestimated their intellect. Ron, who when in Gryffindor had trouble writing a foot long essay about Qudditch, could now write a four foot essay on just the properties of Hellebore. Andy and Alerion sat in on the lessons with the intention of taking the exam at the end of the year with the rest of the year, even without many lessons, their skills were of an eighth year, which was the same level as Hermione, Draco and Orion. If they had wanted they could have taken the tests now and passed with a hundred and ten percent, but they agreed to wait till they found out what the Tuck brothers and Dumbledore was keeping from them.

Draco dragged himself out of bed, aware that Hermione was still sleeping and creeped out of his bedroom. It was around noon, which was fine because they only had one lesson today last period. Andy and Ron were having a debate over some movie that was flickering over the screen. Two short men with hairy feet were wrestling with a half-naked house-elf looking creature over a small golden ring. He rolled his eyes at the Tv.

"What you watching?" Draco said over the sound of the scrambling men on rocks.

The two men carried on arguing over who was the best character, he repeated his question, this time louder and from right in front of them.

"The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Right now we are on The Two Towers, which is the second one." Andy answered, not looking away from Ron.

In their dispute they had both turned towards each other, the film playing forgotten by the pair.

"Never watched it. I was going to go and make some french toast for breakfast, you want any?" Draco replied.

This time Ron acknowledged the statement, "You should watch it, sure most of the stuff is wrong, for instance elves are the size of men in this film, but it's still amazing. Did you seriously ask me if I wanted food?"

"Sure maybe I'll watch later. I was just being polite the question was for Andy's benefit to be honest." Draco winked at Ron.

A low threatening growl could be heard coming from Andy over the surround sound system.

"Fuck, sorry," Andy said visibly angry at himself, "Sorry."

He rushed out of the room, the door slamming behind him.

"What was that about?"

Ron looked shaken as he replied, "I don't know."

Shaking his head, Draco pulled Ron with him towards the kitchen and started pulling plates, glasses and pans out of cupboards manually. He quickly mixed eggs together and began dipping slices of bread into it and placing it into various frying pans. The aroma filtered through the room, awakening the youngest Weasley from his shock.

"Why aren't you using magic?" He said.

Draco's back stiffened, "Because when Lucius was out on Deatheater business, my mum and I cooked in the kitchen without magic. She was proud of her skill in the kitchen, yet she couldn't show it often otherwise she would bring 'shame' on to the Malfoy household for being in the 'dirtiest part of the house'."

"That's nice of you," Ron said softly, "It's nice that you continue to do something in her memory. Also it's a massive 'fuck you' to Lucius."

Relaxing, Draco started to smile. He placed six whole slices on to a plate in front of the red-headed boy and poured seven glasses of OJ. Ron charmed them to hover in front of them as he held his mountain of food in one hand and a half eaten piece of toast in the other. Draco led the way cradling the rest of the breakfast in his arms.

They placed the food on the coffee table and paused the film. Ron sat on the floor and started devouring the toast on his plate. Draco silently charmed a small shield around the rest of the food and went to wake up Hermione and his brother.

He knocked on Orion's door and was surprised to see it open just as his fist left the hard wooden front.

"Breakfast, coffee table." Draco announced slowly to his barely awake twin of all purposes.

Orion grunted some kind of reply and slipped past towards the heavenly smell.

Though amused at his brother's actions, Draco buried his laughter and moved on to the next door. He quietly pushed open the door and saw that Hermione was indeed still asleep. He walked over to her side and knelt on the bed beside her.

"Hey sleepy, it's time for breakfast." He whispered into her ear.

She sighed and stretched, her hand resting on his knee, before stilling, her breathing returning to the slow pattern he had become accustom to when she was sleeping.

Draco slid his fingertips over her cheek bone as he said, "Hermione wake up darlin' or Ron will eat your share."

Her breathing quickened a fraction as she began to stir. Again, she stretched but this time her hand came awfully close to Draco's crown jewels. He froze but waited for her to wake fully. Hermione sat up, pulling her hands back as she flushed a vibrant red and refused to look at him.

"Sorry." She said mortified.

Draco chuckled and kissed her cheek, "The breakfast is on the coffee table."

She jumped up and pulled Draco behind her.

Ron was grumbling and Orion was glaring in their direction, Alerion and Sophia had emerged from where ever they had slept.

"What?" Draco asked confused.

"You said breakfast was on the coffee table, what use is that if I can't get to it?" His brother retaliated.

"What..OH..." Draco uncharmed the breakfast, "You're lucky I shielded it, you know that Ron would have eaten it all if I hadn't."

Orion grunted some sort of reply.

The gathered all grabbed a couple of slices each aware that the plate would have been empty before they had finished half of the first piece.

Alerion looked around the room, "Where is my brother?"

Ron and Draco looked at each other, "We don't know, he basically ran out of the room after growling."

He looked puzzled, "What did he growl at?"

"Again we don't know. Sorry."

The room was silent as they ate the rest of the breakfast, leaving some for Andy for when he returned.

The door opened and a battered Tuck brother stumbled into the room.

"What the hell happened to you?" Alerion asked rushing to his twin's side.

Andy shrugged off his brother's help, "I went for a walk," he spat, "Got attacked by ten Slytherins led by Pansy, may have killed her, don't care. I obliviated them because they saw what I am. Continued my walk in the forest to clear my head. Fought with a werewolf, as a human and won, though he isn't dead."

He walked straight past them not meeting any of their eyes and went into the bathroom.

"Fuck, there is something really wrong with him." Ron stated as he sunk into the chair, pushing an uneaten slice of toast on to the table, closing his eyes.

Alerion slid to the floor and placed his head in his hands, "Yeah and he wont tell me what."

Sophia spoke up, "You have to get ready for Hagrid's lesson, it's in fifteen minutes."

Hermione jumped up and ran to her room to change. Ron sighed, got up and walking out of the Common Room. Draco and his half-brother followed suit and returned to their rooms to get into their uniforms. When they came out again, Andy was still in the bathroom, Alerion was in the same place on the floor but had his chin resting on his knees and Sophia had disappeared.

Upon seeing them, Alerion rose from his position and walked towards the door, gesturing them to follow.

Hagrid's lessons were never the most interesting but Hermione tried to look interested in Care of Magical Creatures even though she felt like falling asleep. Her three friends weren't helping either.

"Today we shall be learning about Angels. Yes, I am sure you know what they are, but do you actually know what they can do," Hagrid said enthusiastically, regardless of the sleepy atmosphere in the clearing, "Angels are always beautiful, haven't met one who ain't. Male angels are born and female angels are made. That's just the way it is. Male angels can create female angels by transferring blood from the male to the human woman..."

Draco's head touched Hermione shoulder, as he fell asleep, Orion was leaning against Draco on his other side, with his eyes flickering as he fought to stay awake. Ron was steadily snoring, lying on the damp forest floor. Alerion was creating a chain out of the flowers in the grass meadow, clearly bored.

"Angels can have many powers, but normally they just have enhanced magical abilities. Sometimes there are brothers born who can almost share powers, for instant if one of the brothers were in intense pain and they touched, they both would be able to share the pain...," Hermione jolted awake almost making her two friends fall to the floor, she kicked Ron hard as she hissed at them to pay attention, "...Brothers aren't always born from the same parents, but in the angelic circles they can still be considered twins, if the bond is strong enough. Normally the brothers are opposites of each other, like one has a defensive power and the other, you would never want to fight against. But if one of the brothers has given up, the other would feel their pain, which would weaken them both and they would become easy targets.

Angles can mate for life, like a soul mate, and if the mate is attacked the angel would stop at nothing to kill the attacker, I fear for the idiot who decides it would be good idea to harm an angels mate as they are far more volatile than Veelas. Angels have the legal power to kill for their mate and won't be persecuted for it, just like Veelas, as they are so closely linked to their other half and it is their instinct, they are often savage in the way they handle the dangers to their mate, there have been a few reports that show their sadistic side that only comes out when their mate is threatened. The ministry does not want me to tell you of this but Dumbledore and I both feel that it would be beneficial to you all to know that even weakest of angels could easily rip you limb from limb for their mate and not blink an eye. If their mate was killed the angel would seek revenge, carrying the heartbreak with them, and once they had inflicted the pain they deemed necessary often being violent and torturous, they would die of a broken heart. So don't mess with them unless you want to die.

Angels look like normal humans except beautiful. They require a catalyst to start the gradual transformation into an adult angel. First their magical abilities will become magnified, then their senses will be enhanced and lastly the speed, strength and wings will grow. They will have the ability to cloak their wings but this will come after the agonising pain of having them grown but we shall come to that later on..."

Hagrid dismissed his class and left with Fang.

The group stayed sat in the meadow as they went over the new information.

"My god...If we had just waited for a week then we wouldn't have had to look everywhere for this...Man...This is weird." Draco mumbled disjointedly.

"That explains just about everything." Orion said scratching his head.

"You are literally a whole other species." Ron stated softly.

"Shit. I need to talk to Hagrid about something. If I am right I will tell you but it's about Andy." Draco jumped up and ran in direction the half-giant had gone.

Ron dragged Orion and Hermione away in search of food.

Draco found Hagrid talking to a centaur. It heard him coming and it dipped his head down to Draco before trotting off into the forest.

"I have never seen a centaur bow to anyone." Hagrid grumbled and started to walk again.

He looked confused, "So what does that mean?"

"That you have friends in high places. I gather that you didn't just follow me to get bowed at, so what d'you want?"

Draco was quiet for a second as he gathered his thoughts, "It's about today's lesson. I'm interested about the mate part. Can the mate be male?"

"Never heard of it but I suppose it could."

"And if the Angel felt that their claim on said mate was in jeprody, say another person was flirting with the mate, would they get aggressive and growl?"

Hagrid stopped walking, "The Angel would get aggressive and in the worst case they would attack. If they felt that their mate returned the feelings of the intruder they would back off and die of a broken heart. Why are you so interested?"

"Can't tell you now, will do though. Got to go." Draco rushed out as he began running towards the castle.

He made it to his house in record time, breathing heavily Draco made his way to their private Common Room.

Everyone except for Hermione and Sophia were in the room. Andy was sat on his own on the floor by the bathroom door. Orion was crouched by his bedroom door in mid conversation with Alerion who was sat near his feet. Ron was sat to Draco's right as he came through the door.

Draco quickly thought of a plan that would prove his theory.

He sat a meter away from Andy but kept both him and Ron in his sights. Draco gazed at Ron and focused on the love he felt for Narcissa before shaking his head. It was the wrong kind of love, maternal not romantic. Again he rested his gaze on the red-headed boy but this time Draco rifled through his feelings and was only slightly shocked when he realised how much he loved Hermione. He focused on that and pushed the emotion to the front of his mind, aware that Andy's power means that he would feel it. Draco only hoped that it would seem to be towards Ron instead.

A growl came from his right. It seemed that his plan was working. Draco felt a fist coming towards his head, he jumped up but allowed it to hit him. The force behind it made him fly into the wall behind him. Andy wrapped a hand around Draco's throat and squeezed slightly, the growl steadily getting louder. Draco cut off his emotions and worked on calming down his friend.

"I know what we are and I know what you're feeling. I'm sorry but I needed it confirmed, so that I can help you. I don't love Ron like that, I love Hermione." He whispered around the hand squashing his neck.

After a while Andy's grip relaxed and Alerion was pulling him off of Draco.

"Are you alright Draco?" Andy's brother asked, holding Andy with his arms locked behind his back.

"I am fine. Get off your brother, I need to talk to him."

Alerion frowned, "I don't think that's wise."

Draco growled at him until he let go and pulled Andy out of the room. Together they made their way to a secluded part of the castle.

"Ron's your mate isn't he?"

Andy knodded, bringing his knees up to his chin and wrapping his arms around his legs.

"So what are you going to do about it?" Draco asked softly.

"What can I do about it? He doesn't like me like that. In the history of our kind there has never been a gay couple, I don't even know if I can blood him. I have always been a freak; I've got different colour eyes; I can kill people without a care in the world; I can't trust my own brother because of my own mind; and I have the shortest fuse known to mankind." His voice took on a cold tone.

"How'd you know that Ron doesn't love you? Just because there hasn't been an Angellic male couple, doesn't mean there can't be and because you tend to only change your mate there would be no record of a bloke being changed. You aren't a freak and I love your eyes, they give you character. There are many people I wouldn't care if they died by my hand, even if you did kill your foster parents, it does not mean you are a cold-blooded killer. I don't trust a lot of people, trust has to be gained and if he keeps on doing stuff like holding you down today when you had calmed it's going to take longer and I don't blame you. I'd say my brother has a shortest fuse, you've just got to practise your restraint. I'll help you if you want."

Andy smiled slightly, the corners of his mouth lifting, "Thank you, I trust you, don't blow it. And I'm sorry for attacking you."

Draco grinned, "It's cool, I've had worse."

He helped his head of house off the floor and started to walk back to their Common Room, discussing his plan to help Andy's sanity.

Draco was the first through the door and saw Ron waiting for them, he stepped forward and was about to address Andy when Draco wrapped a hand around his wrist and pulled his to follow. He pushed his love for Hermione out again and wasn't surprised when Andy growled. Draco looked back and raised an eyebrow at him. Andy smiled back sheepishly as he cut off the rumble. Alerion and Orion looked between them confused.

"Don't worry." They said together.

Draco chuckled and dragged Ron into his room. Draco flung himself at his bed and sighed.

"How'd you feel about Andy?" He said quietly.

The red-headed boy blushed slightly before composing himself, "He's a nice guy."

Draco growled quietly but loud enough to startle the boy who was still stood by his door.

"And now the truth?"

"Why do you want to know?" Ron asked.

"Because if you feel how I think you feel then this could have all been avoided."

"Are you saying it's my fault that you were strangled by him?" He said confussed.

Chuckling Draco answered, "God no. That was my fault. No one blames you for anything, least of all Andy. To sort everything out, I need to know how you feel about him, do you love him?"

"How was it your fault, you weren't doing anything? I don't know how I feel about him. I think I could love him or rather I am close to loving him. I have never loved a guy before and I don't know what to do."

Draco knodded his understanding, "I will tell you all about it one day. You have to talk to Andy about how you feel."

Ron shook his head, "I can't tell him, he doesn't feel the same way. I couldn't bare it if he laughed in my face."

"Andy feels the same way I can guarantee you that."

"How do you know?" He asked suspicious.

Draco wrestled with whether or not he should tell him the truth but decided that it would help the situation more if Ron knew everything.

"He is your mate."

The boy by his door looked shocked for a second before grinning.

"Really?" Ron asked.

"Yeah."

Ron flung open the door, ran towards his mate and kissed him.

Draco smiled as Andy wrapped his arms around Ron's waist pulling him closer. Orion and Alerion stood open-mouthed watching them. Draco got off his bed, stood by the door and cleared his throat to get their attention.

"No staring, that is rude." He said.

They turned to him clearly confused, Alerion opened his mouth to ask a question but no sound came out.

Draco shrugged in nonchalance, "They are mates, I'm surprised you hadn't figured it out. By the way Alerion you are going to have to apologise to Andy for holding him back, he was protecting the claim he has on his mate. I provoked him into proving my theory. If I hadn't your brother would have still been sulking about a previous misunderstanding."

The Tuck brother smiled and pulled him into a hug.

"Where are Hermione and Sophia?" Draco asked.

"They went to the library to look up more info on us, Hermione wouldn't let anyone else go with, which is why we are all here like Lemmings." Orion answered, only slightly annoyed that he wasn't allowed to join the research party into his own dynamics.

Draco laughed before going to sit on the sofa, he pressed the 'Play' button on the remote and the movie started again. The rest joined him. Ron and Andy snuggled into the end of the couch together, smiling softly at each other. Orion and Alerion sat on the floor by Draco's feet and settled in to watch The Lord Of The Rings : The Two Towers.

Shortly after it had finished Sophia walked into the room frowning.

"Has Hermione come back yet?"

They shook their heads in answer, now on full alert. Draco stood up and began pacing.

"Weren't you with her?"

She shuddered under his gaze, "I was at first then I got a note saying I had to meet Dumbledore, so I left. I was gone an hour. When I came back, Madam Pince said that she had gone back to the house and checked out the books. So I came straight here."

"She must have gone to the loo or something." Ron said steadily.

But it did nothing to eliviate Draco's fears.

Foreign pain surged through his body, the epicenter being his back as if he had been slammed hard into a wall. He gasped as the pain increased, engulfing his entire body and mind. Draco let out a tiny wail of agony as he collapsed to the floor, before he bit on his lip to keep any sound coming out. His eyes welled with tears as his body felt like it was being ripped apart. A guttural moan left his mouth as he bit through his lip. He was aware that there were people around him, fussing over him, trying to figure out what was wrong with him but the torment rendered any acknowledgement from him impossible. Draco closed his eyes and tried to focus on making the pain go away but the moment he closed his eyes he saw images behind them. He could see who was creating the pain, but it doesn't make sense why he could feel it. He opened his eyes again and screamed as the torture reached a peak. The pain lessen gradually, until he could sit up. This act caused a jolt of pain to run through his spine. After ten minutes Draco tried to stand but wobbled as his legs shook. Andy propped him up against the wall and looked into his eyes.

"Shit, look at the colour of his eyes." He said shocked.

Worry coursed through all of those present as they looked into his dulling grey eyes.

Orion was visibly shaking, "I didn't feel it. What's happening to him?"

"Don't know why you can't feel it, don't know why I didn't see it." Alerion rushed out, fear clear in his eyes.

Sophia was crying at the pain she could see in each of their eyes.

The door slammed open and Hermione appeared in the room. A sob escaped her as she ran to her room, dropping a great pile of books on the floor as she made her way there.

Draco struggled against his captives and began snarling at those in front of him. They backed away slowly looking at the floor as they realised they were dealing with something else. He struggled to stay upright but when he saw the blood splatters on the books, Draco collapsed and began to crawl to her door.

He twisted the handle but it wouldn't budge.

Breathlessly he said, "Darlin' please open the door. Please it's me, Draco."

He slumped against the door as the emotional pain flared waiting for a sign of life on the other side.

Orion, Andy and Ron began looking through the books that Hermione had brought in search for the answers to their questions, aware that the blood was Hermione's.

A couple hours later and she still hadn't opened her door for the boy. Draco was still leaning against the door but was curled in on himself. Quiet sobs could be heard from both of them, which reassured the rest of the house that Hermione was still alive but worried them about Draco's mental state.

Andy gasped as he read through a passage and pushed it away from himself. Ron grabbed his hand and also read the page.

"My god, he's dying."

Orion growled at Ron and was returned with a snarl from Andy.

"Draco's eyes are dulling and there is only one explanation for that. He is dying of heartbreak." Andy cried.

"That doesn't make sense. Hermione loves him. That's what we were talking about, that's why she didn't want anyone else to come. She loves him with all her heart." Sophia said softly, tears running down her cheeks.

"Why was she bleeding? I bet that whatever happened to her has everything to do with why she has rejected Draco." Ron stated clearly.

They were quiet for a moment as they tried to figure out what could cause that.

Sophia gasped and shook her head, "Pick Draco out of the door way, I need to speak to her."

They did as she asked and were distraught that he didn't fight against them.

"'Mione babe, please can I come in?"

The door clicked and she went in.

A wail of despair left Draco as the rejection hit him again.

Sophia pushed the door shut again and sat on the side of the bed and started running her fingers through Hermione's hair.

The quivering girl was buried under her duvet, blood matted into her hair and bruises on her cheeks. Tears poured from puffy eyes that peaked over the top of her duvet.

"Who did this to you?" Sophia asked brushing her fingertips over the purple marks.

Hermione closed her eyes and shuddered, she opened her mouth to answer but nothing but a sob came out.

"Sssh." Sophia murmured into her hair as she cradled her head in her lap.

When her sobbing ceased Hermione whispered, "Harry Potter."

The Auror froze but continued to stroke her hair.

"What did he do to you?" She said softly.

Hermione began crying, gasping for air as she sobbed. She pulled a hand out from under the covers and placed her fingertips on Sophia's temple. A tiny clip of Hermione's whole memory of the event invaded her and Sophia could not escape it. It was gone as quickly as it came.

Sophia gasped as if she had resurfaced from drowning.

"My god. You need Draco here, he can help you."

"No," She screamed, "I can't, he needs a clean break, so that he can find someone better, someone who isn't broken or used."

Sophia finally understood, "Draco's dying. You haven't read the books enough to know that an Angel has only one mate and when they are rejected by that mate they die of heartbreak. He loves you so much that it's killing him to know that you are in pain and there is nothing he can do about it."

Hermione's sobs increased as she realise what she had done. Sophia stroked her hair until her crying had ceased and was surprised to find that the tiny looking girl in her arms had fallen asleep. She slipped out of the bed and out of the room.

Draco appeared to be passed out on the floor, a bruise on the side of his face. Dumbledore, Snape, McGonangal and Pomfrey were crouched beside him. Andy's knuckles were red as he rubbed them with the palm of the other hand. The nurse shook her head a tear in her eye as she gazed at his unconcious form.

"He doesn't have long to live if he continues like this. There is a constant pain in his mind and body, as well as the heartbreak and worry for Miss Granger. A couple of days, a week at best. I'm sorry." She said getting up and rushing out of the room trying to hide the tears that were falling.

Orion growled, the inanimate objects around the room quaked as the room filled with energy. Sophia placed her hands on either side of his face and attempted to calm him down. At last resort she placed a kiss on his cheek and wrapped her arms around his neck. The energy dissipated and Orion crumpled into her shoulder crying.

"Does anyone know why this happened?" Dumbledore asked, as he fought away the tears.

"I do," Sophia said slowly, "Hermione thinks that she is not worthy of him. She thinks that she has been dirtied and spoiled."

Andy looked up from the floor confused, "Why would she think...Oh God, please tell me I'm wrong, anything but that."

His worst fears were confirmed by Sophia sobbing into Orion's chest.

"No. No. No. No," He choked, "I can't stay here, too many emotions, too many bad."

Andy went to leave but was flattened to the floor by Ron. They cried into each other, Ron trying his hardest to pour all of his love into his mate to calm him down.

A muffled scream came from Hermione's room, followed by another, this time louder. Sophia ran to open the door but found it locked, she banged on the door hard hoping it would wake the screaming girl.

Draco sat up with a gasp, he clutched his cheek in pain and grimaced as he heard his girl scream. He made his way over to the door. The gathered could see by Draco's gait that his body was giving up, his hair had lost its shine, his skin had paled and his tight clothes appeared baggy; all in the space of a couple of hours.

Eventually he made it to the door and twisted the knob, nodding at her Sphinx guardian. The door clicked open and he slipped inside.

**A.N. - I hope you like this one**


	14. The Dead Are Screaming

**A.N. - WARNING - The first bit in_ italics_ has implied rape; if you don't wanna read it, skip to the bit underneath not in _ITALICS_  
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**Chapter 14 - The Dead Are Screaming**

The room was dark and he could barely see her body amongst the covers. He switched the light on so that she did not freak out when he attempted to wake her up. Draco pulled a chair up to the side of her bed and held her hand. He had managed to block out the sound of her screams because he knew they were slowly killing him.

He began stroking her hair, "Hey beautiful, I need you to wake up. I need to see your eyes. You're killing us please wake up darlin'."

She continued to whimper into her quilt. Draco placed his hand on either side of Hermione's face and started to draw the pain out of her.

Hermione knew she was asleep but she couldn't pull herself out of the nightmare, the memory, the pain.

_She was taking a short cut to her Common Room when she heard a small scream come from a deserted classroom. No one else was around so Hermione pulled out her wand and slowly opened the door. Her conscious mind was yelling at her to turn back, to not enter under any circumstances, but she had no control of the direction her dream was taking her. She could only watch as her feet carried her to the last place she wanted to see on earth._

_Hermione peeked around the door and saw nothing, so she relaxed her stance and looked down to rebalance the pile of books on her hip. A blast of light hit her in the chest; she flew out of the room and collided with the stone corridor wall. Hermione collapsed to the floor coughing as the wind left her. She could feel that some of her ribs had broken from impact._

_A hand wrapped around her ankle and dragged the injured girl back into the classroom. A boy's voice, that she recognised straight away, yelled an Unforgivable Curse at her. Soon Hermione was writhing in agony on the cold flagstone tiles. Harry chuckled at the sight but wasn't pleased that she wasn't screaming._

_Hermione curled into a ball, gritting her teeth every time her ribs grated together and waited out the curse._

_The Golden Boy released her from the torment but didn't wait for her to adjust before starting on the next form of torture. He placed a well-aimed kick to her chest and he could feel the bones splintering underneath his toes. Harry grinned as Hermione let out a screech of pain but growled when she closed her eyes and bit her lip to stop any more sound coming out._

_"You little Mudblood bitch, I want to hear you scream and I always get what I want." He said, his eyes growing darker with rage._

_Potter bent over and held the quaking girl up by her shirt collar, ramming his knuckles into her windpipe. She scrambled to remove his hand but stopped when he slammed her down on a desk. Hermione gasped against his knuckles but couldn't move them. Her vision started to blur as the oxygen getting to her brain stopped completely. Harry held her wrists above her and charmed the desk to hold them in place, as he kept the pressure constant on Hermione's throat. Tears appeared in her eyes as she relaxed against his hold in hope that he would release her. Her vision darkened and she succumbed to the black._

_A chill against her bare skin was the first thing her mind noticed as it woke up from her slumber, the pain was the next as her body felt like it was being torn to pieces. Her eyes opened without consent and the sight before her made her want to throw up as well as shove a blade through her chest._

_Her old friend Harry Potter was positioned above her, eyes screwed shut in pleasure. Her wrists and ankles began to ache as she fought against the rope bounds that tied her to the table._

_The image shimmered and_ _once again she could tell that she was dreaming, as Lucius Malfoy was now the one standing above her._

Her eyes opened and her screams got louder as she fought against Draco. He flinched away from the sound and staggered away from the harsh emotions, hands held up showing his submission. Hermione squinted against the light.

"Draco?" She asked confused.

"Yeah." He croaked as he slid to the floor, tired.

Hermione started to sniffle, "Why are you in here?"

"Because I couldn't stay out there and listen to you scream." Draco stated, pain clear in his voice as he stared at the floor.

"But why? I am nothing special, if anything I'm a freak who turns good people I love into assholes. Harry became so evil, my father disowned me, my mum didn't defend me and Ginny threatened me. So many of my old friends hate me. You should go before I make you into a mass murderer."

"Why can't you understand that I am here to stay if you want me, nothing that fucker can do will keep me away from you? I'd happily die for you, as well as kill for you, but you can't push me out because of him. You don't get it; I want to be with you and only you. You do not make people evil; your father was suffering from grief he needed someone to blame because subconsciously he knew it was his fault; your mother was scared of your father; no one can explain Potter; but Ginny was scared because no one knew were Potter was and we were the last people seen with him, her only failure is to have loved Potter so completely that she was blind to his faults. Seeing you in pain hurts me." Draco confessed, stretching his hand out to her.

Hermione hesitated; she ran her fingertips over his skin before withdrawing her hand to the safety of her bed.

"Do you know what happened today?" She asked quietly, pulling the duvet up past her chin.

He moved closer, sitting cross-legged with his chin resting on the bed frame as he answered, "Yeah, but it doesn't change who you are, it doesn't change the fact that we love you and it doesn't change the fact that we would kill for you."

She shuddered, "But he...he..."

Quiet sobs emanated from the bed as Hermione sunk back into the memory.

"'Mione," Draco said, trying to awaken her from her living nightmare, "Hermione. Hermione!"

Hermione squeezed her eyes shut and shook in fear. The warm feeling Draco had had, was replaced with a deathly cold as she once again rejected him sub-consciously. The pain engulfed him and he collapsed to the floor. Draco ran his fingertips over his chest, letting his nails drag against his shirt and tearing straight through the thin cotton. Blood flowed from the cuts his strengthened nails had caused as he tried to get rid of the source of his agony. Draco could hear screaming all around him but he didn't realise the tortured cries were coming from him. The pounding of flesh against wood could be barely heard by Draco through his own keening. The door splintered and Andy charged into the room.

Hermione began screaming at him as she returned to the present.

"I am not going to hurt you 'Mione, I'm gay for a start." Andy stated, focusing on the boy on the floor who seemed dead by the grey tone his skin had taken on.

She stopped screaming but then pulled up her quilt so that it was just below her nose as she sat up.

"What's wrong with Draco?" Hermione asked quietly.

Andy glared at her, before sighing and shrugging. He tried to stop Draco from tearing up his chest but as they touched the level of agony in the immobile boy caused him to collapse to the floor shaking. Ron came in upon hearing his boyfriend yelp. Hermione whimpered as her room was invaded by men who were very capable of doing her harm, but he did not look her way.

Ron took one look at Draco who was now thrashing on the floor and conjured a Patronus charm. Minutes later and Hagrid was crouched by his side, holding Draco's arms behind his back as he carried his quaking form out of the house and towards the Hospital Wing.

Hermione repeated her question, "What's wrong with Draco?"

Andy raised his head and looked her straight in the eyes, "You're killing him 'Mione. I know you love him and I know he loves you. You can't carry on like this; you need him, just like he needs you. You know you love him but you refuse to accept it, and it's tearing him apart. He gets flashes of love and rejection from you, the rejection being stronger, and no one can take the pain of that once let alone every time you feel like you are less than you are, but it's amplified for Draco because of his lineage, so the pain is actually killing him."

She flinched away from his gaze and sobbed into her sheets.

Ron sighed and placed a kiss on the top of her head, shaking his head in anger at Potter as she froze at his touch.

He began pulling his shaking mate to follow the rest of the house and the teachers.

Once again En Lucem found themselves in the Infirmary, this time just for Draco, to stop him ripping his heart out.

Madam Pomfrey walked around the curtain and looked towards the gathered, her eyes watering, "I have given him enough sedative to put a dragon to a permanent sleep, if I use anymore I'm afraid I will kill him."

"Just do something!" Orion growled, stepping towards her.

The nurse flinched away from him and quickly made her way into her office.

"We have to do something," Orion stated, "He can't die, not like this."

Andy pointed his wand at the curtain that surrounded Draco's bed and said, "Muffilio.''

"What did you do that for?" Sophia asked confused.

"I have to feel the emotions; I don't want to hear the screams too."

Ron raised his voice looking worried, "What screams?"

Alerion raised an eyebrow, "Can you not hear him screaming?"

Ron and the Auror both shook their heads.

Orion answered, "I can."

Hagrid spoke up, "I have a remedy for that, somewhere in my coat pockets."

He then began rummaging through the many hidey-holes in his moleskin coat. After a few minutes Sophia took pity on the half-giant and 'accio'ed the tiny bottle from one of the inside crevices Hagrid had already looked at.

"I won it in a card game at the Leaky Cauldron."

Everyone looked at the neon pink liquid sceptical of its usefulness.

Alerion cleared his throat, "What does it do?"

"Oh...well...it strengthens your mental shield so that you won't hear him."

Hagrid drew back the curtain and sat beside the bed. Draco was still thrashing, this time against the leather bindings that held his arms away from his body.

"So what's wrong with Mister Malfoy?" Hagrid asked.

Orion hissed at the name.

Alerion answered, "Don't call him Malfoy, his name is Draco. He is an Angel and his mate loves him but after a recent event, she finds it difficult to be positive about their relationship after flashbacks and rejects him, which coupled with the fact that he can't help his mate when she is in pain. He was clawing at his chest because his heart is where most of the agony is concentrated."

The half-giant contemplated this information before saying, "Somehow you need to show her how much Ma...Draco loves her."

Everyone looked at each other confused about how they would go about it and then Andy stood from where he was sitting on the end of his friend's bed, grabbing Ron's hand and pulling him towards the door.

Orion cleared his throat, "Care to fill us in."

Andy looked sheepish as he stopped and turned around, "We are gay, so we are no threat to her. I'll tell you later, if it works."

They then ran off together towards their house, leaving the rest of them to wonder.

Hermione was in the same place they had left her in, crying on her bed.

A little voice spoke up as they entered her room, "Is Draco alright?"

Andy could still hear his screams through the thick walls of the castle.

Ron answered in the negative; he wanted to comfort his long-time friend but knew to stay near the door.

Andy moved forward so that Hermione could see him properly.

"I'd like you to meet my mate 'Mione." He said pulling Ron forward into her view.

Her lips twitched into a smile, "Is that why we never worked?"

Ron chuckled, "More than likely."

"Do you want to know how much Draco loves you, even now when he's in agony?" Andy stated, getting them on the right topic.

She nodded slightly scared.

The Tuck brother placed his hand on hers, concentrated on remembering the love he felt when Draco tricked him and pushed it out, into her body.

Hermione was shocked by the intensity of the emotion and found herself smiling.

"That was before 'everything' happened," Andy explained, "This is now, under the pain this is always present."

The love was stronger this time, almost suffocating but in a good way. Hermione looked at Andy in awe.

"You feel the pain too?"

He nodded, not liking where this was going.

"Can you show me everything he is feeling now?"

The mates both groaned, "He will kill us."

Hermione drew out her wand and pointed it at Ron, "If you don't Ronald gets it?"

Andy growled but complied with her request. He slowly let her feel the agony Draco was in. Half way through she started to bite her lip and cry, so Andy reined in the emotions, tired out.

"That wasn't all of it, was it?" Hermione asked as she wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"No it was about fifty per cent of what he's feeling but we'd both die if I let you feel any more," He said, "And don't ever threaten my mate again."

She rolled her eyes, "I would never hurt Ron, and I quite like having him around. I need to see Draco."

The two men snorted and then helped her out of bed. Her legs wobbled as she almost collapsed to the floor. Ron laughed a little but was stopped by the glare on her face. He pouted and then hauled her small body onto his back and 'piggy-backed' her out of their house.

The Infirmary was full of shouting. Hermione, Ron and Andy could hear it meters away from the heavy doors leading into the Hospital Wing. They drew their wands and approached carefully; Ron pushed the door open and saw his sister in the middle of the room. The only bed in the room was the one Draco was strapped to, his form still. Ginny was stood in the middle shaking, surrounded by the members of En Lucem, all of whom were pointing their wands at her; five of Orion's animated soldiers and countless blades that floated around her.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Ron shouted, lowering his wand.

The youngest Weasley squeezed her eyes shut and dissolved into sobs.

"Aw man," Andy said, shaking his head, "I cannot deal with anymore crying girls today."

Orion stood with his arms crossed, glaring at the girl in the centre of the room. Sophia was rubbing his shoulder and whispering in his ear, so that he wouldn't kill the trembling Weasley.

Alerion spoke up, "She is here to seek asylum. Miss Weasley here has admitted that what they did was wrong and now the Gryffindors are trying to kill her because they are still loyal to their precious Potter."

The gathered sighed and put their wands back into their pockets.

"That's alright then," Andy said making his way over to Draco, "Why does Orion not want to deactivate his army?"

He sat in a chair next to Hagrid and put his feet up on Draco's bed. Andy pulled out a pipe from his pocket and lit it; the smoke began to rise from the glowing tobacco.

"It's simple really, Orion doesn't want her around because she tried to kill everyone he cares about and she let Potter almost kill his brother and Hermione." Alerion announced as he sat down next to his brother.

Hermione rolled her eyes at her friends and perched on the side of her mate's bed.

"Draco forgave her you know. He told me that it wasn't her fault, she was too in love to see his faults." She said.

Orion froze before his stance relaxed and the knives dropped to the floor. The suits of armour stayed where they were but Ginny sank to the floor in relief.

Hermione then turned her attention to her unconscious mate. The rest of the gathered gave them space and began to sort out Ginerva Weasley and save her from the wrath of Orion.

"Ginny what you did was wrong. Why should Hermione, Draco or Orion give you access to our house?" Ron questioned.

She sniffled as she answered, "I'm sorry for everything I did to you all. I've felt funny since _he _returned to the Burrow, a bit like when I got led down to the Chamber of Secrets by Tom Riddle. I can't explain it. I wish I had just joined you in the first place."

Andy looked at the broken girl on the floor strangely, "She's telling the truth, I can sense no deception from her. But the love is still there."

"Of course I'm still in love with him," Ginny said harshly, "I will always love the man he used to be and hate the man he has become."

The Tuck brothers smiled and pushed a suit of armour to the side as the placed a hand on her shoulder and said in sync, "We grant you asylum to En Lucem."

**A.N – Sorry this is so late. Over the holidays I've been so busy, redecorating my room, getting ready for college and fretting over my GCSE grades. Not only that, I have a lump on my right wrist that kills me whenever I put the slightest of pressure on it, like lifting my bag -_- Been to the doc's and they can't make up their minds over what it is (Two different docs, two different opinions) Googled it and think I've broken something, I'll keep you posted**

**I have NO idea what the next chapter is going to be about so bare with me**

**Love you guys, review please**


	15. Quidditch, Yay or Nay?

**A.N. – I am so sorry guys. Things have been hectic, I lost my motivation for writing, and my college artwork was going downhill which was causing the lack of motivation, so it was a vicious circle. My computers being a dick coz I apparently do not have permission to see my own files.**

**Any way I hope y'all had a great Christmas and a very Happy New Year and I hope you like this chapter **** x**

**Chapter 15 – Quidditch, Yay or Nay?**

Draco's sickly complection and light breathing were doing nothing to convince his mate that he'd survive the night. Madam Pomphrey had come in hours after the house had decided to give Ginevra Weasley a trial period, that would only start if she could see their house door.

The nurse had poured a thick liquid down his throat, that should ease the pain, but frowned grimly when Draco began to choke on it.

Hermione was still curled into his side but she wasn't talking, just smoothing his hair out of his closed eyes. His eyes were flickering underneath his eyelids and his muscles clenched as if under attack.

A whimper was heard in the room and they all looked at each other to see who had let it out.

"'Mione." Draco whispered, in his sleep.

Andy's brow furrowed in confusion; Draco shouldn't be able to dream with the amount of sedative that had been administered to him.

"No! Don't hurt her." He groaned in pain.

"'Mione, you have to convince him that you're ok before he hurts himself." Alerion said forcefully.

She began murmuring into his ear and the gathered looked on to see him slowly relax back into his sleep.

Andy sighed and rubbed his face in exhaustion; the emotions in the room were clearly taking it's toll on him and unfortunately the unconditional love from his mate wasn't making a dent in all the negative ones circling around him.

Snape wrapped an arm around his son's shoulders and Orion shakily accepted the comfort. Grief smothered the room, suffocating Andy. He gasped at the feelings and buried his head in Ron's neck.

The nurse clicked her fingers and a house elf appeared.

"Bring us ten hot chocolates."

The elf disappeared and then reappeared in a flash baring a tray full of cream topped marshmallow covered mugs of liquid chocolate. The nurse grabbed the tray and began handing them out to those gathered.

A second crack of sound made them jump as Dobby apparated into the room holding a large plate of chocolate chip cookies.

Dobby wailed at the sight of his old master on the hospital bed, surrounded by all his friends, almost dropping the biscuits. The sound pierced through the silence and everybody jumped.

Draco visibly winced at the noise and groaned. The house elf stopped his noise and jumped on the foot end of the bed to take a closer look.

"Shut up Dobby." He murmured as he slowly opened his eyes.

Hermione squealed and wrapped her arms around Draco as he woke up.

He chuckled and looked over her shoulder at the rest of the gathered.

Orion's gaze made him flinch and wish that he was still dead to the world.

"Don't ever do that to me again." His twin glared at him.

The room froze and Sophia tried to dispel the growing tension.

"He is so articulate. What he meant was that you scared him and he's glad your back." She hit her mate at the back of the head.

Hagrid shuffled awkwardly at the end of the hospital bed.

"I have the potion ingredients you wanted Severus." He announced as he swiftly, for his size, made his way out of the Infirmary.

Snape rose from his seat in the corner and followed the half-giant's retreating form slow enough to make it seem like he wasn't trying to escape from the suffocating atmosphere.

Draco spoke up for the first time, not looking at his brother, "Do you guys want to show Ginny to her new dorm?"

It was clearly an order and Ginny, Ron, Andy and Alerion rushed out of the room. Sophia stayed next to Orion aware that something was going to happen between the angelic twins.

Draco turned his attention to Hermione, "Darlin' could I speak to my brother alone please?"

She nodded and slowly slid off the bed after Draco placed a kiss on her cheek. Hermione grabbed Sophia's hand and attempted to pull her out of the door but she stood her ground. She looked into Draco's eyes for a second.

"It's alright, I'll be fine." Orion said, squeezing her shoulder.

Sophia began to leave and her mate watched her leave, not noticing his brother getting out of his bed. One second he was standing by the bed, the next he was pressed against a wall with a hand around his throat. Orion was only a little surprised to find that he couldn't move

"Don't you fucking dare this only affected you," Draco growled, his eyes black, "This is the pain I felt all the time I was unconscious."

He pushed all the agony he had felt into Orion.

He gritted his teeth at the onslaught and attempted to find the right words instead of the hash he had come up with earlier.

"I know I'm not the only one effected; just by looking at the funeral like turn out is enough to understand that. What I meant was that you can not die. If you die then Hermione and I'd die through heartbreak. Then Ron, Snape and Sophia would die, which means Andy would die, then Alerion and then some where on the planet Alerion's mate would die. If you die then the Dark side wins." Orion choked out around the hand on his throat.

Draco flinched away from him and let go. Orion slumped to the floor, breathing heavily.

"Ow."

Draco started to walk out of the room.

"You almost died, I'm pretty sure that means you are bed bound for about a week, Pomphrey's gunna be pissed when she see's that you aren't here."

He ignored Orion and slipped out of the door.

Draco soon found himself in the Astronomy Tower, his favourite place in the castle, staring out into the star filled sky. He sat on the open wall and looked up to his name sake, contemplating the events that had already happened this year.

He could hear footsteps coming towards him and he quickly heaved himself through the archway and onto the roof, so that he wasn't seen.

"Draco are you up here?" A familiar voice said from the top of the stairs.

He sighed and answered, "Yeah. I'm on the roof 'Mione."

She leaned over where he had been sitting and groaned.

"What are you doing out there?"

"Hiding."

She looked confused as she peered over the ledge, "Then why did you tell me where you were?"

Draco stood up and helped her on to the roof, "You are my mate, why wouldn't I?"

Hermione smiled and placed a cautious kiss on his temple.

They sat in silence watching the sun rise from behind the Forbidden Forest.

"I'm a horrible person." Draco said breaking the calm.

Hermione jumped, startled awake, "How so?"

"I almost killed Orion."

His mate looked back confused so he explained what had just happened.

"You are not a horrible person. You stopped when you realised what you were doing, which is against your angelic instincts. Therefore, you rebelled against every fibre of your being to not hurt your blood. Orion should have known that you would have been sensitive; to be honest, you both reacted badly but nothing came of it. Thinking 'what if I had gone a little bit further?' is not going to help."

Draco smiled, "You should take some of your own advice because nothing you do will ever change the way I feel about you."

A tiny smile graced Hermione's face and he grinned. Pulling his mate closer to him, they returned to listening to the birds and other creatures waking up in the Forbidden Forest.

An hour later, the duo returned to their Common Room to see Ron upside down on the sofa, his legs kicked over the back and his head resting in his mates lap. Alerion was sat on the floor behind his brother who was sat cross-legged on the settee, whilst Ginny perched on the arm. Sophia and Alerion were attempting to waltz to Chiodos – 'Hey Zeus! the Dungeon'. Draco cleared his throat, drawing the attention.

"Finally!" Ron exclaimed loudly, "I'm not sure about you guys but I really want to win the Quidditch Cup this year, so let's go."

For a moment, he struggled to get up out of his awkward position but he was soon running out of the Common Room door, leaving everyone else gazing in wonder at his retreating form.

They begrudgingly got up and followed the mad man out into the brisk morning air. From the castle doors, you could see Ron on his Cleansweep Eleven darting about in the sky. They soon made it to the pitch and Ron landed beside them.

Andy tutted at the state of his mates broom and conjured eight brooms; all personalised Firebolts. They were mostly made from black ebony that was polished to a pristine sheen. The broom head was a mixture of red and orange, which looked as though it were on fire. The shaft had blood red lettering carved into it; each had the En Lucem coat of arms, and a different name for each member of the house.

Ron gazed lovingly at his, before kissing Andy and taking off into the sky.

Then Draco asked the question they were all wondering about, "Are we even competing for the Quidditch Cup?"

They all looked at each other in question.

Ginny's timid voice was the first to answer, "I'd like to but if you don't want me on the team I understand."

She started to walk off dejectedly but was stopped when Andy grabbed her wrist.

"If we didn't want you on the team why is there a Firebolt with your name permanently engraved into it?"

Hermione held the broomstick out towards her old friend and a tiny smile graced her face. The smallest of Weasley's, launched herself at the girl and wrapped her in a tight hug.

"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." She repeated into Hermione's shoulder.

The group chuckled.

"You're a good player, why wouldn't we want you on our team?" Draco said smiling.

Ginevra refrained from giving him a tight squeeze too and instead grabbed her broom and took off into the sky closely followed by her brother.

Hermione looked hesitantly at the Firebolt in front of her; Draco noticed her discomfort and pulled her away from the group slightly. Once they were out of earshot, he placed his hand on her cheek and looked in her eyes.

Hermione diverted her gaze to the floor and mumbled a reply, shuffling uncomfortably.

"What darlin'?"

She grumbled before saying, "You'll laugh."

Draco smiled as he shook his head.

"I am scared of heights." Hermione said quietly.

He chuckled and kissed her forehead, "I used to hate heights, but then Lucius would push me out of the window with the broom to force me to fly, so I had to get over it pretty quick."

"That's not instilling me with confidence."

"Come on, I'll show you what's so special about flying. I promise I won't go fast or let you fall." Draco exclaimed, excitement clear in his voice.

"Ok, but if I don't like it I'm going back down immediately." Hermione growled at him.

"Accio Firebolt."

The broom zoomed towards them and stopped in front of the pair. Draco swung his leg over the handle and gestured for his mate to sit in front of him. Cautiously she joined him and they were soon in the air. Hermione had screwed her eyes shut the moment her feet had left the ground.

"Darlin' open your eyes. We are steady now, we aren't going anywhere."

She shook her head violently before realising that the movement may make her fall off the broom.

"Come on darling, I won't let go of you." He said wrapping an arm around her waist, tightly.

Slowly Hermione opened her eyes.

"Wow that's beautiful," She whispered, looking at the incredible view of the surrounding countryside, before making the mistake of looking down, "Jesus Christ Draco, we are on Hogwarts' roof!"

The screech Hermione made, caught him off guard and he jumped.

"Calm down 'Mione, I'm standing on the roof, we are safe. You are too short for your feet to touch the tiles. I wanted to give you the illusion of being in the air, whilst also feeling safe because you only have a two-inch drop."

She smiled and relaxed, "Thank you Draco."

He nodded his acknowledgement.

After a while, an impatient Ron called them down. This time Hermione kept her eyes open as they descended.

Draco landed on the Quidditch stands near where Sophia was practising her balance and let his mate back on to solid ground, before taking off again to coach the practice.

"How is he?" Sophia asked, mid-pose on the barrier that the front row of the crowd tended to lean on.

Hermione shrugged, "If he is still in pain, he keeps it hidden well."

"Isn't that what he's done all of his life though?" She had meant it as an innocent question, but Hermione closed up and fell into her thoughts.

Sighing Sophia hopped off the bar and sat next to the girl on the bench.

"You need him to open up a little bit more and you need to ask. How are you?"

She smiled but it did not meet her eyes, "I just am. I cannot sleep because when I close my eyes I can feel him on me. If Draco had died, I would not have anything to live for."

Sophia smiled sadly and wrapped her arms around Hermione.

"Do you want to learn relaxing techniques, they could help with everything?"

Hermione nodded and stood, following Sophia. The Auror retook her place balancing precariously on the barrier as she began to coach Hermione in breathing techniques.

A loud creak behind them made them turn their attention towards the top of the stands. Sally-Anne Perks, the blonde girl who had attempted to get with Orion at the beginning of the year, advanced towards them glaring at them.

"You aren't good enough for him. He deserves better than some old slag; some one pretty and with brains. You've stolen him from me."

Sophia jumped down from the fence.

"Who are you talking to?" She asked as Hermione looked on stunned.

"You, bitch." Sally growled, shoving her hard.

The barrier broke behind Sophia, not used to that kind of force, and she began falling. Her screams pierced the calm.

"No!" Andy yelled from the ground.

Draco and Orion raced after her on their brooms but they weren't fast enough. The Tuck brothers both shot spells at her falling form but the charms wouldn't stick.

"No not today, for the love of god not today." Alerion murmured horrified.

Her body hit the floor hard with a sickening crack made everyone feel sick.

Ten meters from the ground Orion swung his leg over his broom and jumped off. His mouth was open in a silent scream as blood pooled from under his shirt before it tore off of him. A pair of bloodied wings broke his fall and he landed beside his mate, wings flared warning off any potential attackers.

Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth and Sophia's limbs were contorted into angles that they should never be at.

Draco landed beside his mate who had gone pale and was looking at Sophia's attacker in disbelief. He slipped his hand into hers, which gave her the strength she needed to pull back her fist and slam it straight into the girls perfect nose.

"You fucking bitch...What the hell?" Sally screamed, cradling her now broken nose in her hand.

She started to advance towards Hermione with her other hand out stretched ready to push her off as well, but Draco stepped in front of her.

"I don't think that's wise, do you?" He growled.

Perks shook her head quickly in agreement with him, trying to pacify him but Draco slipped his free hand under her chin and lifted her up over the edge of the Quidditch Stands. He pulled Hermione closer to him and lifted her onto his hip, before he jumped off the edge.

Sally-Anne screamed all the way to the bottom and swiftly passed out when they reached solid ground. He let his mate who was a little shaky after the descent down and advanced on the unconscious girl.

Andy followed him grinning aware of Draco's plan, he pointed his wand at her and she soon awakened.

He then placed his hand on Draco's shoulder, pushing the neck of his shirt out the way so that he could touch his skin. Draco shuddered as the pain and fear of falling and then hitting the ground invaded his senses.

Andy let go and stepped backwards away from Draco's reach.

He supressed the urge to kill the one who had inflicted the pain in to him and focused on his task.

"Do you know what it feels like to be pushed off the stands and them break every bone in your body?" Draco asked glaring at the shivering wreck on the grass pitch.

"No please, don't hurt me. She stole my beau."

"Is that so?," He grasped her wrist and released the agony of the fall into Perk's tiny body, "Did you know that me and my brother over there are Angels, so we mate for life. The girl you just tried to kill is Orion's mate and he will kill you."

The blond girl writhed on the floor as she felt the pain normally accompanied with bones splintering, only without the long term effects. She pleaded for him to stop and sighed in relief when he did.

Draco grinned at her niaveity.

"You think that's it? You couldn't be more wrong, for that is not the worst pain that someone felt when you pushed her. I can guarrenty you that Orion is feeling worse."

Once again Andy pressed his hand against Draco's skin and flooded him with what Orion was feeling. Draco gasped as he realised it was the same as what he had felt when he was in the hospital. He wasted no time and soon found himself passing on the agony. After a few seconds the girl passed out and Draco spat at her weakness.

"Your brother needs you." Hermione said as she placed a hand on his wand hand.

Draco knodded in agreement, "Andy, make sure she doesn't go anywhere and don't kill her."

The Tuck brother grinned at the command and made a 'shoo' motion with his hand.

Orion was crouched over his mates broken body, wings flared, ready to attack anyone who would put her in more danger. Sophia's breathing was laboured which worried all those gathered.

Alerion stepped forwards, "You need to touch her, see if she responds to your touch."

Orion began growling and he stepped back out of reach. Slowly Orion placed a hand on her cheek and flinched when nothing happened.

Heavy and fast falling footsteps could be heard coming in their direction. Neville and Luna were charging towards them with Dumbledore in tow, his long cloak flapping behind him.

"Everyone step back, let me see her." The headteached exclaimed, wading through the circle of people.

Orion's growls got louder and his wings opening up to their biggest. Alerion restrained Dumbledore and pulled him back out of reach.

"You have to blood her. If Sophia is to live then you have to blood her."

Draco placed a hand on his brother's shoulder in comfort.

Orion kissed her before biting softly between her neck and shoulder. Blood flowed over his tongue and down his throat. He acted on instinct so he knew when to stop, he licked at his mates wound and was only slightly surprised to find it healed instantly.

Ignoring everyone else, Orion bit into his wrist and placed it over her lips. The effect was instantaneous; Sophia's back arched off the floor as her bones healed and snapped to their original positions, making everyone flinch.

Orion swayed slightly under bloodloss and Draco supported him as his body seemed to sag. As Sophia relaxed and her breathing returned to normal, Orion moved his wrist and tore his shirt to wrap it.

Dumbledore ignored the restraining hand on his shoulder and stepped forward, "Sophia has to go to the Infirmary. Let go of her Mister Black."

Draco growled at his tone but then smiled as Orion swiped his legs out from under him and pressed a hand around the professor's throat.

"Don't ever attempt to take my mate from me Albus. Otherwise I will kill you." He growled, his voice deadly.

A scream from the side made everyone turn in that direction. Andy was sat on the ground grinning with the girl hanging upside down above him. The corners of Orion's mouth lifted into a slight smile as he heard the fear in his enemy's voice. That smile turned into an evil-looking smirk as he realised that he'd get his chance to make her scream very soon.

A.N. – Like I said…I am sooooo sorry for the long arse wait x


	16. Look Up To The Heavens

**A.N. – I am so very sorry for the massive wait. The bard part of me practically died after writing the last chapter and I've been writing this chap for at least six because what I had written wasn't right but I didn't know how to fix it.**

**Everything in my life has gone a tad hectic and confusing but I seriously hope you forgive me for the ridiculously long wait.**

**Chapter 16 – Look Up To The Heavens**

Once again, they found themselves in the Infirmary, waiting for a member of their house to wake up from unconsciousness. Sophia's injuries had healed within minutes of being blooded by Orion but the shock kept her asleep. Draco had carried his brother after he collapsed due to the substantial lack of blood.

"Out of the way. Out of the way. I should have been called immediately," The nurse scanned the unconscious forms with her wand, "Sophia is fine, just needs a good rest. Orion however isn't. He needs blood replenishing potion."

Alerion cleared his throat, "That will not work on him anymore, being a fully grown Angel. You'll need angelic blood in the potion otherwise the human blood will poison him."

"I have an idea." Hermione announced, conjuring a cauldron and beginning to tinker with a standard blood replenishing potion.

"Muggles use a process called Fractionation to separate blood by using Centrifugal force." She said as the pewter cauldron began spinning faster than the eye could see.

Ginny looked confused, "How does this help us?"

They all jumped as a voice replied from the back of the room.

"This will help by removing the blood from the liquid and you'll therefore be able to substitute it for something less toxic. Well done Miss Granger." Snape drawled.

She flushed in embarrassment and returned to her experiment.

"I'll need blood from Draco and Professor Snape as they are direct family otherwise his body might reject it."

Ron spoke up, "But isn't Snape human?"

Hermione shook her head, "I don't believe so; I think Narcissa Malfoy was the professor's true mate."

Draco froze, knowing the fury of almost losing one's mate and knowing that he was the cause of his mother's death.

"You are correct Miss Granger." The man's tone oozed pain and revenge.

Snape noticed his mate's son shaking and wrapped his arms around him in a rare show of affection.

"I do not blame you for her death. You forget I have known Lucius for longer than you; I know of the evilness in his heart. What he did was meant to break you, never let it; use it to make you stronger. We will kill him, the three of us, and nothing will stand in our way. Your mother entrusted your safety to me when she named me your godfather, I could never hurt you." He whispered in Draco's ear.

A single tear ran down his cheek before he wiped it off. Snape let go of his ward and growled at those who were grinning at his soft side.

Hermione chuckled before asking Madam Pomfrey to draw blood from the pair. Once it was taken she added it to the cauldron over a flame and stirred clockwise three times. She let Snape check her work before pouring it into a bottle.

The nurse nodded at her handiwork and administered it to her patient. Within seconds Orion was awake.

The newly-discovered angel knelt on the floor next to his mate's bed, holding her hand. Someone had transfigured most of the furniture, in the ward, into a stretched sofa which curved around the bed. Draco sat next to his brother on the floor and placed an arm on his shoulder in comfort; Orion didn't respond to his touch yet there he stayed.

The blood on Orion's wings had started to dry and any slight movement was tugging at his black feathers, which made him groan in pain ever so slightly.

"Someone's going to have to help clean him up before it pulls out his feathers and scars." Andy said, gripping on to Orion's arm and hauling him up on to a bed.

He growled and thrashed as the grip on his mates hand broke. Draco pushed the bed closer and established the connection once again.

"Draco and I will." Hermione stated, conjuring a bowl and sponges.

"Aguamenti," Alerion murmured, "Incendio," steaming water filled the bowl.

In silence, the couple gently washed his wings, emptying the bowl, when it became more blood than water.

Orion's feathers were clean and dry when Dumbledore entered the ward.

"Mr Black, I cannot let you kill Miss Perks. As the headmaster of this school, I am entrusted with the protection of all those who reside here, her included."

The room was soon filled with cries of outrage; even Pomfrey looked to disagree with Dumbledore's statement.

For the first time since he had awoken, Orion spoke.

"We will examine her memories and see if she is sound of mind and not being compelled to act. If she is acting of her own accord she will be killed by my hand. If she isn't, then whoever is controlling her will be killed by my hand. You have no say in this Albus; this is the law and nature."

The headmaster shook his head, "Then the law is wrong."

Severus rolled his eyes at his friend, "You know the law is just, why are you questioning it? The law was put in place to protect Angels; the threat of death is a deterrent to humans upon harming us. We as a race are so rare, after the sport-like hunting of us in the past, that this was the only way to continue our survival. Muggles have written in a book that a fallen angel is the devil, the source of evil. This is not true and is from the observations of an Angel taking revenge but not understanding why. You see Angels are not capable of evil, their hearts are pure but instinct passed through generations means that anyone who harms a mate will be punished as it is our feelings that rule us. Sally-Anne Perks harmed a mate; to be honest it's remarkable that she is still alive."

Dumbledore grinned, "Now all you have to do is explain this to her parents and the school population."

Alerion shook his head knowing how close everyone was at tearing the headmaster a new one.

A small shuffle of blankets behind them caught their attention and everyone gathered around Sophia's bed.

"Welcome back dear." Madam Pomfrey said softly, checking her vitals.

A small cheer went up as the Auror sat up in her bed. Orion's body visibly relaxed as he looked into his mate's open eyes.

The crowd shuffled awkwardly as the couple's eyes locked.

"Can't believe you let that Death Eater scum in this school." A voice shouted from the Gryffindor table.

Dumbledore rose from his seat and the hall quietened.

"Would the person who just said that please stand."

A seventh year boy stood, fuming that he had been called out.

"Why do you believe they are Death Eaters, Jamie?"

The dark haired boy turned towards En Lucem and said, "I saw Andy using the same curse that the Death Eaters that holds people in the air. That Perks girl was screaming her lungs out and you Professor didn't make him put her down."

Andy jumped up on the table and began addressing the entire school population.

"I think you'll find that the curse I used is not the same. The Death Eaters one causes pain but the one I used doesn't, it's only uncomfortable as all the blood rushes to your head because of gravity. I can prove this if you'll let me."

He nodded to his mate and Ron stepped up on to the table. Andy whispered the spell and the red-headed boy silently flew by his ankles towards the charmed ceiling.

The hall erupted into screams.

Draco jumped up on the table creating a loud bang as his heavy shoes slammed against the wood, at the same time he bellowed, "Silence! Professor Dumbledore, do you know the spell the Death Eaters use?"

The hall quietened in shock and waited for their headmaster's answer.

"No I do not. Why do you want to know?"

"Lucius has used it against me many times; use it against me to show the difference." Draco stated, facing the crowd of students.

He made his way to the head teacher and whispered the incantation into his ear.

Dumbledore shook his head, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Draco nodded his answer and made his way back to the others.

The old man bellowed the curse and watched in horror as Draco's feet left the solid table.

Everyone watched with bated breath as he rose into the air, his eyes were closed and his arms were stretched out like Jesus on the cross. Draco's body went limp and his head rolled onto his chest. Some people in the audience laughed at his defenceless state but were soon scared into silence as Draco's head flipped back, his eyes opened and he began screaming. His body writhed violently in mid-air as the curse attacked his body.

"He's just acting." Said a sceptic.

Orion growled, "If you don't believe it come closer, look into his eyes because they say everything."

Only a few people were brave enough to come forward and actually see, but what they saw had them backing away quickly.

"Shit Albus, you need to end the curse. He's reliving it!" Alerion shouted.

"Finite incantatem."

The curse didn't end as it should have done. Leaving En Lucem looking on helpless as they watched Draco quiver in pain. He began growling as he shook; the leaded windows rattled in their frames as he got louder. A pulse of light shot out of Draco like a wave, passing through all those gathered, sending them a short burst of the pain he was in. The growling stopped and his body went limp again as he started to fall.

Andy jumped up on to the table with Alerion to catch Draco before he hit something solid. The brothers lay him down to wait for him to wake up. Hermione leant over the table and placed a kiss on Draco's forehead, her body protected him from the unwanted attention of the gathered pupils.

"Renervate."

Draco groaned, holding his head as he rose, "I forgot to tell you, the only thing that stops that curse is when the victim loses consciousness...or dies, which is usually the case."

"That doesn't prove that they aren't Death Eaters."

"We can prove that we aren't fucking Death Eaters." Andy spat.

Alerion stood as well and pointed at the famous charmed ceiling, his brother pointed his wand to his temple and drew out a memory. He cast the silver thread upwards; it flew towards the starry sky and caused a reaction that hadn't happened since the founders had built the school. The stars all shot towards to the point where the memory had hit the surface and caused a supernova. Once the light cleared, the memory appeared on the ceiling transfixing the viewers.

A nine year old Alerion could be seen playing with the freshly fallen snow, from his brother's eyes, with two adults. All of them giggling and playing, throwing snow-balls and making snow-angels. The twins had big grins on their faces as they sipped at mugs of hot chocolate.

The Great Hall was filled with such carefree emotions, that all that felt it, were grinning like the young Alerion.

The image changed. It was the first day of secondary school, the mix of apprehension and curiosity filtered through the room before changing to anger. An older child had Alerion up by his throat against the corridor wall, demanding for money. The kid was backed up with three others, all looking happy with themselves as they inflicted terror on those smaller than them. Andy's brother was shaking with fear as his breathing was cut off.

A growl reverberated around the room as Andy stalked closer to them.

"Get off my brother!"

The child holding Alerion laughed, "What are you gunna do about it?"

The first kid disappeared from view as an invisible force blasted him across the room. Andy grabbed the second by the shoulder and spun him round. His fist met the boy's nose with a sickening crack and the kid collapsed to the floor. Tears started flowing from the third child at the sight of blood pouring from his friend's face.

"I said get off my brother."

Andy grabbed hold of the older boy's wrist, the one attached to the hand around Alerion's throat. Snarling, he squeezed the bones together; a feeling of artificial euphoria spread throughout the Great Hall as they shattered in Andy's hand. The boy screamed as his wrist was crushed.

Footsteps pounded from behind them; an arm wrapped round Andy's shoulders and pulled him away from Alerion.

Pain shot through the backs of all those watching before the vision flickered and went black.

As he came to, voices could be heard. Raised voices, angry voices at fear-inducing levels. The charmed ceiling remained blank as Andy kept his eyes closed. He was hauled up by his shoulder from his lying down position so quickly it made his head spin. The picture flickered as he opened his eyes and he saw his brother in the same position as his, i.e. being dragged down the school corridors by a man towards a car. A woman was stood glaring by the car, getting angrier the closer they got.

"Get _them_ in the fucking car!" She snarled under her breath.

The two adults, their foster parents, stuffed them into the car. Fear overwhelmed Andy but he pulled his brother into a hug as the car sped towards home. The two adults tore out of the car, locking the brothers inside. Minutes later they returned with suitcases, they threw them in the boot and raced away. The twins shook as the car sped to an unknown destination.

The vision rippled as it changed to a different memory, this one was different. This one was blurred and disorientating as if Andy was bordering on consciousness.

"Andy. Andy. Bro...Please wake up...Can you hear me?" Alerion said from somewhere in the room.

The real Alerion drew the attention away from the ceiling.

"This memory perhaps won't make sense without the back story. Our foster parents had gotten a Hogwarts letter inviting us to come and learn magic. And then Andy managed to beat up three boys twice the size of him, something that that couple despised as they were devout Catholics, not liking violence and all that, they became scared of us. Magic is taboo in most religions so that was not a point in our favour either. They bought a new house in a different county and then locked us in the attic with no food. The next time they came up, they came wielding weapons and beat the shit outta Andy. They couldn't get to me because he wouldn't let them within five meters. I was stuck in the corner watching my brother break and bleed as he went in and out of consciousness still defending me from our carers. Even when he wasn't technically in the room with me, he was still protecting me..."

Alerion faded out and everyone's attention returned to the memories like a damn presentation.

What they could see was still disjointed but now the image was clearer. The woman stood guard at the hatch making sure the twins couldn't escape and the man was out of Andy's sight line, yet it was obvious he was still there from the agony coursing through everyone's veins as Andy was hit continuously with something solid.

Pain was the only emotion to be felt as the vision faded to black

Years of beating flashed by in a blur, merging into one long tortuous mess, making all those present flinch at the violence.

A sharp nudge in the side woke Andy up; a fifteen year old Alerion grimaced down on him. An origami paper hat balanced on his head.

"Don't get up. You're screwed to be honest; they really did a number on you this time. You really should stop putting yourself between me and them, whilst I try and push them out the door. Happy birthday to us, by the way, I'd have made a cake but you know..." Alerion gestured to where they were locked.

Andy laughed but soon started choking.

Fear and pain. Screaming. Darkness. Tearing flesh. The pain lessened and Andy opened his eyes, what he saw made him shake. Alerion was equally disorientated, the blood covered wings that sprouted from his back put him off balanced and he crashed to the floor. The door opened and the foster parents charged into the attic. The man held a leather belt in his hand and advanced, while the woman guarded the hatch.

"You freaks. You are the Devil's spawn. You don't deserve to live." The man yelled whipping Andy across the back.

The metal buckle tore his sensitive wings, catching on and pulling feathers out. Red welts appeared on Andy's back, blood streamed from both his back and wings.

Alerion snarled and grabbed the attacker by the arm and pulled him back towards the hatch. The woman screamed, trying to defend herself from him but was soon pushed down the stairs by her husband. The hatch locked and Alerion went to tend his brother's wounds.

The hall was in a state of shock as their whole life zoomed past on the ceiling.

"I still have scars from that day," Andy announced taking off his shirt, "My wings are permanently disfigured because of it."

Patches of bare flesh littered his wings where feathers should have been, beside this were feathers that were torn and damaged. He lifted his wings as high as they could go but one wing was lower than the other, unable to unfold fully because of the nerve damage it had suffered.

Ron got up on the table and hugged his mate as the rest of the hall returned their gaze upwards.

The image that appeared shocked everyone; the twins were just skin and bones. They stood together leaning against a wall just staring off into space, wishing for a better life, not able to do anything else.

The hatch opened and the couple crept into the room. Andy pushed himself off the wall and stood in front of his brother.

"No...Don't..." Alerion mumbled, too weak to say anything louder.

Andy growled at the intruders warning them to get back.

"Andy..." His twin whispered as he lost consciousness.

The image of Alerion collapsing flickered as a strong arm tore him from his guard. Blood dripped from Andy's stomach as something tore through his flesh. Rage consumed his mind and a suffocating pressure built behind his eyes, making them close.

Moments later the pressure was gone but so were the couple. A thick layer of blood coated the walls, the ceiling, the floor, the twins; everything. Disorientated Andy pressed a hand to his stomach, no pain; he lifted his shirt. There was a faint scar where there hadn't been one before.

A loud gasp brought his attention away from his rapid healing but he flinched when he caught sight of the fear in his brother's eyes.

There they stood looking at each other, not moving until Andy was tackled by a man in uniform and dragged unmoving from the room.

The Great Hall was filled with silence; a suffocating, oppressing silence; one that made the twins want to turn away and run for as long as they could.

"Now you see, they are not Death Eaters. They are Angels. The only harm they cause is to those who threaten or hurt their mates or brothers; if the mate is still human then you will die. Sally Anne Perks is an exception to this as Orion had other things on his mind, his mate dying for instance. That girl pushed the Auror from the top of the Quidditch stands, something that from which no one survives; this is why she was being treated as she was.

There are different bonds between Angels that are all stronger than humans. These bonds mean that family units are closer together; so, by attacking one, you attack them all."

Dumbledore motioned to Hagrid and he stood awkwardly.

"As I have said in my lessons, attacking such a creature is stupid, attacking their mate is suicidal. They are not dark creatures, they are pure. They are not capable of evil because of this. The instinct to eradicate anyone who means them harm comes from when Angels used to be hunted and they were almost wiped out. If you don't mean them harm they are the best ally you could possibly have."

"Thank you Hagrid," Andy said, "Do you still believe we are Death Eaters?"

The question was met with unyielding silence, for once the gathered didn't have anything to say.

A second year Hufflepuff stood from his table, "I would like to be taught how to fight like they did against the Gryffindors. As a Muggleborn I believe that's the best chance of survival I have."

A murmur of agreement rippled across the hall.

"Then it's settled. En Lucem will conduct lessons for fighting using both non magic and magical means. They will be in charge of how these lessons are planned, if you have any problems see them." The headmaster bellowed, happy that the conflict within the walls was over but aware that the worst is yet to come.

**A.N. – I am so sorry about the wait. The end is shitty because I have four hours till I go on 'holiday' for three weeks and I want this out before then. It's supposed to be relaxing (the holiday) but atm it's just causing hassle.**

**I doubt I'll have fun but I hope you all enjoy your holidays or the sunshine**

_**For reference, I am not giving up on this story, just because there has been a massive wait between chapters does not mean I am not coming up with the next chapter**_


	17. The Best Laid Plans

**A.N. – Guys I am so sorry it's been so long, but I'm trying to deal with other stuff and I totally lost the plot (as in I went mental, not that I lost where to go with the story…)**

**Chapter 17 – The Best Laid Plans...**

"What the hell is he thinking?" Andy roared as he paced their common room floor. "We have no knowledge of combat or how to teach it. How the hell are we supposed to do this?"

Ron watched his mate walk in circles from his position upside down on the sofa, his awkwardly long legs flung over the back.

"When Orion, 'Mione and Draco fought the Gryffindors it looked so elegant, it was if you were dancing, so, why don't we teach them ballroom as a starting point?" He suggested.

Andy stopped, sat down heavily beside Ron and sighed, "Alerion and I don't know how to dance either."

"I do, it's one of the requirements of being a Malfoy," Draco announced from the corner, "So I can teach that one, perhaps Professor McGonagall will be willing to help like she did at the Yule Ball."

"Voldemort is adverse to Muggle tech, isn't he?" Alerion asked, they all nodded in agreement and he continued, "So we could bring in Muggle weaponry, right?"

"Such as?" Ron questioned, having next to no knowledge of this subject.

"Guns and swords basically, maybe some explosives to scare them or, you know, last resort."

"Wouldn't guns kill them? If we set out to deliberately kill them, wouldn't that make us as bad as them?"

"Ron's right, maybe we could use paint ball guns and use different potions as the ammo, like, sedatives to knock them out."

Draco smirked at the possibilities.

"I used to fence," Hermione said slowly, "So I could teach technique? I also took self-defence classes over the summer. Sophia, could you teach things you've learnt in Auror training?"

She grinned, happy to be doing something useful.

Hermione rose from the corner then stood, balancing, on the back of the sofa and stretched to touch the ceiling with the tip of her wand. A tiny white dot began inscribing their plans in the blackness like a chalkboard.

"Hang on, what about the Death Eater recruits in Hogwarts? We can't show them what we are doing otherwise if it comes to a war then our element of surprise won't be there and they could prepare against it." Sophia asked suddenly.

En Lucem froze as they each thought of a solution.

"How about we question each person in the school under Veritaserum under the pretence of finding the correct group and partner for them?" Ron proposed.

"That's illegal." Hermione pointed out.

"It's either that or we get wiped out and our efforts would be for nothing. We've not really had a thing with rules." He said bluntly.

"Ronald you're on fire today."

Andy deliberated the plan for a few seconds, "What would we do once we've got the information?"

"Kill 'em?" Ron joked.

Draco rolled his eyes, "Most are forced into service by their father's, they have no choice; it's either that or they get tortured by Voldemort or their parents, sometimes both. If they are being forced and want to be on the Light Side then we should give them a chance. If they are acting on their own accord, we wipe their memories of the interrogation and charm them so that any leaked information goes through one ear and out the other. Maybe we could place them in a group together with trusted people so that they don't suspect anything. Then when the war comes we can confine them."

"How would we confine them? As I remember, it didn't work too well with Crabbe, Goyle and Potter."

Ron stood up suddenly, "What about the Room of Requirements? We could get it to morph into the perfect prison surely? And we take all their belongings off them, in case one's a Portkey or something."

"Like a Muggle prison? So we'd change their clothes to something we know they couldn't escape with."

"Exactly," Ron replied grinning, "Shouldn't we see if Snape is willing to lend us the potion? Otherwise, all this planning would be a bit pointless wouldn't it?"

Hermione replied laughing, "We've not exactly been against stealing for the greater good but I suppose we should ask just this once."

She whipped out her wand and attempted to send off a Patronus. After the second time of having a thin wisp of white smoke vanish from the end of her wand, Hermione growled and threw her wand to the floor. Sparks shot out angrily, unhappy with its mistreatment. Draco picked her wand up off the floor and placed it gently back in her hand.

"Look at me," He said, "Just me. Now concentrate on me. I want you to focus on us, just us two. No one else matters at the moment, okay? Close your eyes. How did you feel when I took you flying and it was just us on the roof?"

Andy guessed where he was going and placed a hand on both of them and relayed the emotions to each other.

"You were happy right?" Hermione's emotions took a sharp dip, "Hey, Sophia is fine, no lasting damage there so don't focus on that. Focus on when we were on the roof and I had just told you that I was standing on the roof so you were safe, even if you had fallen. Yeah? You got that? Remember what you felt? Now cast your Patronus darlin'."

Her eyes were still closed when her otter shot from her wand and out the Common Room as it went to find Snape.

"Now relax, 'Mione, it worked fine."

Hermione's eyes shot open, "Really?"

"Really, really." He teased.

"You've watched Shrek?" She shrieked, clapping her hands.

"Yeah, I got bored once at home and made Dobby bring me some of Potter's DVDs."

A loud cough startled them out of their discussion.

"Miss Granger, you called?" Snape asked.

Hermione cleared her throat before answering, "Yes I did, but I believe this to be a subject better communicated in person. Would you please join us, Professor?"

He was silent for a while, making everyone a little uncomfortable, "Very well. You do know what time it is though, don't you?"

"Ugh..."

"How predicable. It's three in the morning you bloody nocturnal bastards."

En Lucem looked at each other in shock before bursting into laughter. Grumbling could be heard as the Patronus cut off.

"Your father is rather grumpy when he's tired isn't he." Andy giggled.

A couple hours later, Severus strode into the room, his cloak floating behind him. He thumped the side of his fist against the wall twice, waking up the light sleepers.

Andy pushed his mate's head off his shoulder, in an attempt to rouse Ron from his slumber. Sophia had curled up around Hermione, shortly after the call with the professor, and was now snoring quietly into her stomach. Alerion rolled his eyes as Ronald's head hit the floor and woke himself up startled. Laughing at his mate, Andy gently woke up the only two girls in the room. Ginny had retreated to the other dorm after being shoved off the sofa by her sleeping brother.

"You called?" Snape drawled.

"Yes, do you have any Veritaserum?" Orion asked warily.

He looked startled for as second before he gained his usual composure, "Why do you wish to know?"

Draco explained their base idea quickly.

His godfather nodded in agreement, "You know you'll have to question the teachers too?"

"Yes."

Severus slipped his hand into his robes and pulled out a tiny bottle, removing the stopper, he let a drop fall onto his tongue.

"Ask your questions." He drawled.

They all sat there, a little stunned at how compliant he was being. Orion was the first to find his voice.

"Do you understand that this is for the security of the school and not our own pleasure?"

Snape rolled his eyes at the question, "Of course, although knowing you lot, you are going to go off on a tangent."

"You are in Voldemort's inner circle, are you not? So why did you so willingly take the truth serum?" Draco questioned, slightly confused.

His Godfather smiled at the query, happy that his Godchild was asking the right questions, "Riddle created the Death Eaters when he was in Hogwarts, then they were called the Knights of Walpurgis. It was a group for Slytherins and it provided protection to themselves from others at school as they knew Tom was stronger than them. But Riddle quickly twisted their weak minds and they became the Death Eaters.

When I joined them, my Muggle father had just murdered my mother and I was so overcome with grief and rage that I wanted all abusive Muggle men to suffer like I had. I wanted to be able to save the victims and I didn't care if I did so through nefarious means, like, Dark magic. Riddle promised me that that was the way they did things, that they punished the wicked.

But I soon saw that that wasn't what was happening, but now that I had joined I couldn't leave or I would die. So I stayed.

I went to Dumbledore some years later to see if there was any way I could get out of it as he was the only teacher at Hogwarts who had ever treated me with kindness, but the ties I had with Voldemort were so strong that I couldn't save myself, I was compelled not to. When I was there I overheard Trelawney's prophecy about Potter and I had to tell him. That is how I got into his inner circle. I made him promise not to hurt Lily in any way but he killed her nonetheless, I shouldn't have trusted him but I had no choice.

As soon as it had happened, I knew she was dead, as all ties I had with him shattered and I went to back to Dumbledore. I had lost everything I had ever cared about; my mother and Lily were dead and Narcissa was married to Lucius.

Albus made me into a double agent and I had to make an unbreakable vow to him to prove how serious I was at taking that bastard down. So I took the Veritaserum to prove it to you."

"Who was Lily Potter to you?" Hermione asked suddenly, surprising everyone.

Snape's face hardened, "She was like a little sister to me. People assume I had a romantic interest in her; however, she was my first friend and my only real friend in Hogwarts. I wanted what was best for her and I didn't think that was James because when we were in school he was a bully. But he loved her and Harry with all his heart, so he grew on me...slightly. Every time he saw me he'd be wary of me and I never knew why."

"Why didn't you marry our mother?" Orion asked quietly, after a slight pause.

"My dear Narcissa had been arranged to marry Lucius since before they were born. Her father tried to kill me after we told him about her being my mate. So we removed his memory of that evening and continued to meet in secret. Lucius found out about us, I don't know how, and threatened to kill her. He said that he'd put a curse on her, so if we were to run away together she would die. I stopped seeing her but it was killing me; I could feel her pain where ever I went." Deep lines had formed in the skin around his eyes as he told the story, pain evident in his voice.

"We still need to do something about Perks." Draco said slowly, successfully distracting his twin's father.

His brother's mate growled softly at the name.

"We can't kill her if she is innocent." Ron said slowly.

"I gave my word that I wouldn't touch her unless she acted of her own accord. But I may have to kill something else instead."

"Well you do need to refine your powers before the battle, so that you have full control over them. So killing stuff could be part of your training? I could teach you…" Snape trailed off as Orion froze.

"You want to work with me?" He asked confused.

"Why would I not want to? You are my son." His father said slowly.

Draco grinned and slapped his half-brother on the shoulder as Orion mustered up a shy smile.

"Snape, can I talk to you for a second?"

The two left the common room, leaving the rest of the gathered to wonder.

After a while of general wandering through the castle's corridors, Draco spoke up, his voice cracking.

"Do you know any reason why a Patronus can't be cast?"

His Godfather's face took on a confused expression that seemed foreign to him, "Well, you know Patronuses are cast from happy memories? If the caster cannot find a happy memory then the Patronus can't be cast."

Draco sighed, that wasn't the answer he was looking for.

"What will stop said caster from finding a happy memory, when they could previously do so?"

"Grief could stop the ability to remember happiness. Or depression for that matter," Snape stopped walking, "Is this about Miss Granger?"

"Argh! I just don't know what to do to help her. What if this affects other spell work and she won't be able to defend herself; what if at the end of all this planning, the battle actually happens? I know she would never want me to crowd her and make sure she's alright all the time, because she kicks ass well enough on her own. But what if she gets hurt? What if she meets that bastard on the battle field and she closes up? She could get killed. I want her to be better, but I don't even know if she is ok because she doesn't say anything to me or anyone and I need to know that she's ok because she is my life. Severus, do you get that? I will kill him for what he has done to her, maybe that'll bring her some peace, but I don't know what to do," Throughout his rant, Draco's voice had gotten louder and louder till he was almost shouting, but his voice broke towards the end and he started sobbing. "Please help me. What can I do to save her?"

"Oh my poor boy. Hermione doesn't need saving, she needs healing. She thinks that she is less than she is and you need to make sure she knows she is loved. You need to make her know that she isn't worthless and that she is a core part of all your lives. Make sure that she never feels like she is alone. Take her on walks, get her out of the castle and maybe take her to Hogsmead; anything to make her feel free, even if she doesn't want to go because the freedom and fresh air will do her good. Make sure she knows that she can talk to you and ask her how she is feeling; ask her again if she lies because it will only be to 'protect' you. Cheer her up and make her laugh. Stick on her favourite movie and get everyone round, make a thing of it.

Being an Angel it's practically impossible to do anything bad for your mate, so whatever you do decide to do will help her heal. But it will take time, so, be patient Draco."

"Thank you." The boy whispered.

Snape cleared his voice, "I have something else I'd like to talk to you about; the matter of your surname. Umm, you don't have to but if you so wish I could adopt you and you could take my last name, of course you don't actually have to, but it was just an idea?"

"Really? You'd want to adopt me?"

"Why would I not want to, you are my son's twin and you are my Godson so why not?"

"Thank you. I'd love that. But could I keep my mother's maiden name, like Orion, yet still be your ward?"

Severus grinned and pulled Draco into a surprising hug, "Nothing would make me happier. Narcissa would be so proud of you."

They returned to the Common Room but were soon rushed off to find the true intentions of Sally-Anne Perks, collecting the youngest Weasley on their way out. Orion lead the way to the Headmaster's rooms, his angelic side screaming at him for not already taking action against the person who had tried to kill his beloved mate. Sophia was close behind him, trying to resist the urge to stalk her attacker and pull her limb from limb.

The Headmaster's round office felt small with the entire of En Lucem, including Severus, Ginny, Neville and Luna, crammed round the Pensieve.

"Before we do this, I have employed a counsellor for anyone who is willing to go to her. She is Apolline Delacour, one of the very best, I went to school with her; she is such a kind soul. I expect each of you to go; I think it might help some of you."

"Delacour? Like Fleur Delacour, who competed in the Triwizard Tournament two years ago? Because she's going out with Bill, I think he's thinking about marriage." Ron queried.

"Yes, it's Fleur's mother. Now quit your rambling Mister Weasley."

Professor Dumbledore tilted a glass vial over the smooth liquid surface and a white thread dripped into the basin.

"Ready?" He asked.

They all nodded and lent over the cold stone. After a falling sensation, the group found themselves in Sally-Anne's memory.

_Penelope Clearwater walked arm and arm with Perks, along one of the many corridors of the castle._

"_Did you know Harry Potter was cheating on Ginny with Lavender Brown?"_

"_Never?!"_

"_Yeah! That's why Ron moved out from Gryffindor and is now in En Lucem."_

"_Who would want to be with Ronald Bilius Weasley anyway?" Perk's giggled as she rounded the corner._

Andy's fist clenched as his mate flinched at her words.

_A voice called from behind the girls._

"_Sally, do you mind if I borrow you? I could do with a hand with the Divinations homework."_

_Brown stood behind them, next to an open classroom door._

"_Sure thing Lav. I'll see you later."_

_As Perks stepped through the threshold, a chill shot through her spine and she froze unable to move._

"_Well well well, Miss Perks, you are going to be quite useful to me."_

_A white fog filled the room suddenly._

Dumbledore groaned, "The memory has been tampered with."

"But by who?"

_Harry Potter walked out of the fog and stood in front of the petrified girl._

"_Imperio." He snarled._

_Sally's eyes turned glassy as she succumbed to the curse._

"_Kill the Auror. Make them all pay."_

Hermione was pale when they returned to the round room.

"It's the same room," She whispered as she sank to the floor, "It's the same room."

"Honey, what do you mean it's the same room?" Sophia said softly.

She curled into herself as she answered, "It's where...he..."

Draco growled as all his mate's self-loathing and pain washed over him. He knelt down beside her and sang softly into her ear to calm her down.

"Dumbledore, there must be something about that room. Alerion, Sophia and I will scope it out; I suggest you get Aurors in to do the same. We cannot let something like this happen again. We need more fighters at this school, we are only kids for god's sake, yet we are the ones doing most of the bloody fighting. Do you realise that? It's not just our fight; it's the rest of the Wizarding World's too, so where are they? I expect some help, from more than just the Order." Andy said, getting aggravated at the lack of help the adults were being.

Their head teacher cleared his throat and replied gruffly, "I will get Professors McGonagall, Hagrid and Flitwick to help you search the classroom. I will contact the Order and the Ministry when you're gone."

The Tuck brothers rolled their eyes at him and started leading the way out of the room.

"If you don't get the Aurors involved, we surely will die, Albus." Alerion stated, his back to the professor as he walked out of the door.

"If you don't get them involved and any of us at this school gets hurt in any way before the Final Battle, I will kill you myself, Dumbledore." Orion snarled as he helped his brother off of the floor.

Draco lifted his mate up in his arms and carried her back to their Common Room, murmuring sweet-nothings into her ear. Orion followed, not wanting his brother and sister to deal with their misery alone. The others were careful to avoid the House right now, letting the Founders deal with their pain together.

Hermione was blank all the way to their House, which worried the brothers. Her mate set her down on the sofa and knelt in front of her.

"Honey, are you ok?"

Her eyes were vacant as she looked at her Angel, she nodded slowly.

"Yes...I'm just going to go to bed...Love you guys...I'll see you tomorrow..."

The girl stumbled into Draco's room and pushed the door to, before collapsing to the floor sobbing.

Orion flinched at the sound and pulled his twin into a tight embrace.

"I can't bear her hurting like this," Draco whispered, "It's killing me."

The duo clung to each other as their hearts broke for their friend. A sense of peace soon washed over Draco from his mate.

"She's asleep now. I need to check on her bro."

Orion patted him on the shoulder and pushed him softly towards his door.

The main door from the Founders' Common Room wouldn't open as Hermione had fallen asleep beside it and the door could only open an inch. Draco slid his hand through the gap and levitated the love of his life to the bed and then curled up at her feet.

Orion cracked his eyes open at the sound of a door creaking open slowly. He shifted slightly from his position on the sofa to get a better view of who was creeping around his dorm. The hinges stopped squealing as Hermione poked her head around the door and she took a quick glance around their common room, before escaping out into the inner workings of her substitute home.

Draco's brother groaned as his bones creaked as he pushed himself up off the sofa, and followed her slowly, trying not to alert her to his presence. Orion lost her for a second as he entered the student's main common room; he was puzzled, he hadn't heard her leave. A gentle breeze brushed against the back of his neck.

He spun around, bracing for an attack but was surprised instead to find a new doorway. Between the 'Founders' door and the common 'Bathroom' was a new archway. Ivy leaves wound round two pillars of intricately carved red sandstone books that were stacked haphazardly towards the ceiling. The two columns seemed to have toppled over halfway to their summits and curved towards each other. They met at their peaks, with a Phoenix, surrounded by fire, to make the apex of the arch. Underneath there was no door, instead a set of stairs descended to a small courtyard. Hermione was sat on a white marble bench, her knees pulled up to her chest, not caring that the rain had already drenched her pyjamas. Orion lent against the cold stone of the archway and watched over her, standing guard over his brother's mate under the moonlight.

"'Mione, darling. If you stay out here you'll catch your death." He called out over the rain as he saw her shiver.

"The rain has always made me feel clean. It's so pure and it gets through everything, it erodes away all the dirt and it cuts through the hard stuff. But I can't seem to ever feel clean anymore. I am dirty and used, and I can't get rid of it. I don't think I deserve to either."

Orion growled and sat down on the wet slab.

"Hermione, you deserve everything good in the world, I promise you. What happened to you wasn't your fault, it never was. We will kill Potter for what he did; we will probably draw it out too. I know you've done extensive research into what we are, it's what you do, and because of that I know that you know Angels are pure. We will not kill someone without justification, but did you also know that whomever we mate with is also pure. Nothing anyone can do will ever change that. You can't change that either. It's impossible for you to be impure. We love you Miss Granger and we would die for you and no one can ever change that."

He stuck his arm around her and she laid her head on his shoulder.

"Thank you Orion. I love you too." She whispered; a single tear fell from her eye, merging with the still fast falling rain.

Within minutes Hermione had fallen asleep, despite being soaked to the bone.

Chuckling silently to himself, he lifted her up in his arms, careful not to jostle the tiny girl. Orion made his way back into the Founders' half of En Lucem's dorm. Hermione moved in his arm and wrapped hers around his neck.

"Don't leave me alone, please, brother." She muttered half asleep against his skin.

"Don't worry princess; I'll never let you be alone again. I'll always protect you Hermione."

Draco's twin sat down on the sofa and shifted her body so that she was soon lying down on top of him. Very slowly, as to not wake up his brother's sleeping beauty, he reached into his pocket and drew out his wand to dry them both off before they caught a cold. As Hermione's clothed dried, she relaxed and snuggled into his now dry chest. Orion's head got fuzzy as he succumbed to his own tiredness and soon a gentle snore filled the Common Room.

Draco was surprised to wake up to a cold bed; a little disheartened he made his way to the kitchen. As he made it to the Common Room he was a little stunned to see his mate curled up on his brother's chest. If he didn't know better it would have looked too intimate.

"You two look cute like that." He said quietly, clearly amused.

Orion grimaced, "I have needed to pee for the last couple of hours, but I don't want to wake her up. And she keeps shifting on my bladder. If she wasn't so adorable I would have pushed her off the sofa by now."

"And I didn't have the heart to save him." His mate winked at them, from her position on the floor by the arm of the settee.

Orion pouted at Sophia, who just giggled at his predicament.

Draco laughed but went to his aid, "Hermione, honey, Orion needs to go to the bathroom, so could you wake up hun?"

He placed a hand on her shoulder and shook it gently. His mate tensed under the pressure but soon relaxed as she realized she was safe.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. Orion, next time just wake me up. You didn't have to wait for me." Hermione mumbled sheepishly.

Orion shook his head smiling and placed a small kiss on her forehead, "My dear, it was my pleasure to wait for you to wake. Plus I figured you needed the sleep, little one."

She blushed and sat up, wiggling slightly to get off her brother-of-all-purposes.

He chuckled before rushing off in the Bathroom's general direction.

Draco slid on to the sofa next to Hermione and wrapped an arm over her shoulders.

"You okay?"

She smiled at his question, the sparkles in her eyes were returning, "I actually am. Your brother and I had a little chat last night and it made me realise something."

"Good I'm glad. Now what do you want for breakfast?" Draco was beyond ecstatic at how close his brother and his mate were; it meant that there was always going to be someone to protect her.

Hermione grinned, "I want you to teach me how to dance."

"Whatever you want darlin'."

"Draco, you have got to come look at this! 'Mione, I love you but you can't come, you would not want to." Ron interrupted, grabbing his hand and running out of the Common Room.

The two boys swiftly made their way to the classroom the Order had been searching. A large cabinet sat in the corner; all the Wizards had given it a wide berth. A strange unexplained whimpering was coming from the dresser.

Draco pushed through the crowd and opened the tall wooden doors. It was empty.

"What is this?" He asked, "Where is that sound coming from?"

"We don't know what it is but sounds have been coming from it all night. It ranges from whimpering to full out screaming. To be totally honest it gives me the creeps." An Auror answered, glaring at the offending furniture.

"What makes it worse mate is that the voice sounds familiar, we just can't place it." Neville glanced around the room and they all nodded.

"It's horrible."

"Why did you bring me?"

"We were hoping you might have, either, an idea about the voice or the cabinet." Ron looked sheepish as he spoke.

"Okay then." Draco pulled up his sleeves and started performing a variety of spells on it to detect any harmful charms on it before he stuck his arm in the void.

The gathered looked on in shock as his limb disappeared completely.

"It's called a Vanishing Cabinet. Fred and George Weasley inadvertently shoved Graham Montague into it and he reappeared in the u-bend of some toilet and I had to get Severus to get him out before he drowned."

The screaming started from inside the cabinet and shook around the room.

"No...Please...Leave me alone...I haven't done anything to you!" The voice yelled.

Draco recognised the timbre and soon began growling.

"Mate, what is it?" Neville exclaimed, a little fearful of the Angel's reaction.

"It's fucking Potter. _NO ONE_ is to kill him but me." He roared.

The screeching turned garbled as Harry choked on something. Everyone froze as Draco tensed ready to spring, a steady growl rumbled from him as he stared at the cabinet, before he launched himself into the space and disappeared, the doors shutting and locking behind him as it claimed him prisoner.


	18. Rage the Destroyer of Worlds

**Chapter 18 – Rage the Destroyer of Worlds**

* * *

><p>The room was stunned into silence as the Angel disappeared into nothingness.<p>

"No!" Ron cried, he ran up to the Vanishing Cabinet and tried to prise the doors open.

Arms wrapped around his middle and tore him away before he ripped off his fingernails.

"We have to get him back. This is all my fault."

* * *

><p>Draco was only slightly surprised when he appeared in the Malfoy Manor parlour. He followed the sound of Potter screaming down into the dungeons. The sound of his pain made the Angel grin in satisfaction. The elder Malfoy stood facing his victim, twirling his wand between his fingers.<p>

As Draco rounded the corner, the apparition of his father vanished into smoke leaving him to face straight at the object of his mate's torment. A swish of a cloak from behind startled him and he began to turn. Before he had completed his revolution, Draco found himself collapsed to the floor, pure agony frying every nerve ending as he writhed uncontrollably. After a while the torture abated, leaving him breathing raggedly as his body twitched in after shock.

Lucius forced open his jaw and poured a small bottle of black liquid down his throat, not caring if he started choking.

"There, now you'll be out of my way. Do you honestly think I will let you go about not doing as instructed? You are a disgrace to this family."

The Death Eater lifted his son's dead weight and cuffed him to the wall, slipping his wand out of his front pocket before leaving the dungeons.

"You're lucky. He gave you all of it. You'll die quicker. He gives me a drop every day and I can feel my insides slowly dying." Potter whimpered from the corner.

Draco snarled, "I'll kill you first don't you worry. I'll kill you for what you did to Hermione."

"I didn't do anything to her. I haven't seen her since before the holidays. Please tell me she is still alive?" He cried.

"Don't lie to me! You raped her. I saw you."

Harry's eyes opened wide in disbelief, "Please tell me you're joking?"

The growl that left the Angel confirmed his fears and he promptly vomited on the cold stone floor.

"No...no...no...it wasn't me...you have to believe me...I would never..." He sobbed, choking on the bile that was trying to leave his body.

Draco turned to watch the boy and he was confused.

"If it wasn't you, Potter, who was it? What happened to you?"

The new captive pushed out his mind to read the other's. Flashes of pictures flooded his brain.

* * *

><p>Potter ran his hand through the tall grass surrounding an almost toppling haphazardly-put-together building. He ventured further away from the structure and spun around as he felt eyes on his back. A bolt of pain shot up his spine and the world turned black.<p>

The world felt out of place as his vision returned; fear flooding his brain as he saw Malfoy Senior stood over him.

Pain. So much pain. The Cruciatus tore through his body, making his limbs spasm and eyelids flicker. He felt like he was on fire. Every nerve ending seemed to be torn apart, only to be pieced back together and broken again. All he could hear was his blood pumping through his veins at a frightening pace. So much pain. He welcomed the darkness invading his vision, glad of the reprieve from the pain.

A hard yank pulled him out of his stupor; he felt blood pool on his forehead. Lucius was stood in front of him, holding a tuft of black hair in his hand.

He was going insane, the poison was tearing through his mind. The pressure behind his eyes made him want to put a knife through his temple so that he'd be away from the pain. A figure walked towards him, all cloaked up in Gryffindor colours...it was him? He was stood in front of himself. The doppelgänger winked as he pulled the stopper off a vial and pressed it to his lips.

* * *

><p>A monstrous rage filled the Angel and he roared, pulling his arms towards his chest, tearing the manacles straight out of the wall. He roared in anger as he went to search for their torturer.<p>

Draco stalked through the Manor in search of the man of the house. On his way he came across two cauldrons full of a brewing mud-like liquid. He growled as he recognised the potion and swiped it off the table. The cast iron buckets struck the floor with a loud bang as it cracked the tiles below it. Their contents spewed out over the floor seeping into every crack and seam.

A small wooden trunk caught the Angel's eye. He tore off the lid. Phials and bottles and boxes all stood in their perfect arrangement. Each vessel was labelled with a name. Potter, Ginny Weasley, his mate and his late mother, among others (names he recognised and others he didn't), were all represented in the trunk. Draco growled as he opened the brown glass bottle labelled 'Mudblood Granger' and shook out the contents. A few strands of hair slid out of the neck and into his hand. Some were of Hermione's new style, dyed black and cut short but there were a small number of hairs that were from before this year, in her well recognised bushy brown mop.

The thought of his _father_ being close enough to steal a lock of hair made him shake in anger. The trunk vibrated, the bottles rattled, rubbing against each other with a force that should have cracked them. Draco clicked his fingers and a small flame ran around the bottom edge of the trunk. He smirked as the wood began to burn.

He stood in the archway and watched the bottles crack as the heat became too much for the fragile glass and they shattered, leaving their contents to the mercy of the fire. Draco smiled at the destruction and turned his back on the now roaring blaze. He kept within the billowing smoke as he continued his stalk of the house, being careful to not be seen and ambushed again. Draco kept his senses open as he tiptoed around the mansion halls, making sure that the chains around his wrist did not create too much noise.

He slowly opened the door to Lucius' study, thankful that the house-elves were ordered to keep the hinges well oiled, to stop them squealing. His torturer sat behind his desk, engrossed in some parchment that was gripped tightly in his hand.

The relaxed stance his sperm donor had adopted, infuriated the young Angel. Draco flicked out a wrist and watched as the chain followed, striking the elder blond across the face, knocking him to the floor. A deep red welt formed where the cold metal had connected, blood pooled in a slight cut on his cheek. The sight pleased him. For the first time, he was getting his own back.

"You stupid bastard." Lucius tentatively placed a hand against his cheek to sooth the pain and was furious to find that his son had drawn blood.

"Crucio!" He yelled.

The boy stepped to the side as the bolt of light came towards him and counterattacked wandlessly.

The force of the Angel's attack broke through Malfoy's usually well fortified mental wall. Both flinched at the invasion.

The flickering of images made Draco feel sick. He could see torture from Malfoy's point of view, feel the euphoric rush he had gotten from their pain; his torture, Potter's torture, his mother's, his young Muggle friend's...his mate's.

The memories of Hermione didn't make chronological sense. His co-creator had been welcomed into his mate's home and had been sat down for Sunday lunch as if it were the norm. Something wasn't right.

The pictures continued and after a while, Draco wrenched his mind from the old man. He gasped for a breath, trying to keep the bile that was rising up his throat from reaching the top.

"What are you? No human could do that to another, no way. Is this all because of your stupid superiority complex? Do you really believe that Merlin gave you the power of magic to do something like that? I am going to kill you there is no doubt about it. You are the cancer of this race. I hate you. I will never be you. I hope you rot in hell."

"Draco Lucius Malfoy, you will not speak to your father in that way."  
>His sperm donor raised his hand to strike.<p>

Draco growled at the man and grabbed his wrist. He jumped over the last Malfoy heir and twisted his arm behind his back hard.

"My name is not Draco 'Lucius Malfoy'; my name is Draco Severus Black and I expect you to address me as such if you don't want to die too painfully. You are not my father. You are simply the man who knocked up my mother and forced her into a loveless, abusive marriage. You are the scum that defiled the Granger sisters. You are the father that no one should have. Severus Snape, Albus Dumbledore, even Rubeus Hagrid have been better fathers, better role models; hell, two brothers who are only a year older than me have looked after and taught me a thousand times better in these past few months than you ever have, you mudblood. Muggleborn's bleed just like everyone else _father_, you are the mudblood, you are the stain in the magical community. You tortured me, my mother, Harry, my mate and her sister. You used an unforgivable on a girl, to kill a woman you don't even know and torture my brother. I loathe you."

"You will always be a Malfoy," The man smirked, "There is nothing you can do to change that. You'll see that soon."

Draco's body tensed as the poison made its way through his mind.

Lucius laughed at the reaction, "You're not going to make it back to your beloved mudblood, though she is such a good fuck, she felt so good wrapped around my cock, you'll be missing out. The dose I gave you only gives you a couple hours at best. If you die here no one is going to care, son, no one. And you think your mother loved you? Well that's the biggest lie I've ever heard."

He spat the word 'son' as if it tasted foul in his mouth.

The Angel behind him growled in self hatred and anger, he wrenched the arm he was holding harder and smiled slightly as it dislocated at the shoulder. Draco muttered a spell and watched as a rope twisted around his biological father's throat and hoist him off the floor, using the chandelier as a pivot point. He slid an ornate chair under the man's feet, grinning as premature relief showed on the Death Eater's face. Draco grabbed the other end of the braided yarn and pulled. He morphed the floor to encase his end of the rope once Lucius' toes were just touching the back of the chair. The chair wobbled as the wizard tried to balance, careful not to move too quickly or his only saving grace would topple from underneath him and he would spend his last moments suffocating slowly.

"Now you know what fear feels like Lucius." He said as he made his way back to the dungeons, ignoring the pleading coming from the hanging body.

* * *

><p>Draco pulled the younger boy up on to his feet and wrapped an arm around his waist.<p>

"Can you walk Pot...Harry?"

He nodded slowly in confirmation and started to put one foot in front of the other, trying to ignore the pain coursing through his veins. Once they made it outside, Draco picked up his old-enemy to avoid splinching and apperated just outside the Hogwarts' grounds. He led the way back to the castle, every so often lifting his fallen friend.

The colossal doors to the Entrance Hall swung open and the whole of En Lucem stood behind them.

The smiles at his return slowly changed to scowls and disbelief.

"What are you doing with him?" Sophia snarled, pointing her wand at the pair of them.

Draco growled softly, annoyed yet understanding of their reception.

"He is innocent. He has been held captive in Malfoy Manor since the holidays."

Pain coursed through his body as his mate ran, "'Mione, please." He groaned as she disappeared around the corner sobbing.

The Auror shot a spell at Potter's deteriorating form but was soon defended by Draco.

"I will defend him till I die," He spat, the pain making him less agreeable, "Immobulus!"

His rage strengthened the standard spell from freezing one, to freezing them all.

Draco picked up Harry from where he had collapsed, aware that the charm wouldn't last long, and rushed to the Infirmary.

Madam Pomfrey smiled at his entrance, "Glad to see you are in one piece, dear. Who have you got there?"

"It's Potter. Guard him with your life Poppy because he is innocent. The others do not believe me yet."

The nurse said a quick spell and the manacles that he had ripped from the walls of his childhood home, dropped off his wrists and clattered to the floor.

"Right you are Draco. Off you pop. I have a feeling that his healing is going to take some time."

Pomfrey's easy acceptance lifted his heart and he smiled warmly at her.

"Thank you." He whispered before making his way back to his house.

* * *

><p>The pain of rejection returned as Draco made his way along a corridor expecting to see his house doorway. It wasn't there. He clawed, howling, at where it used to be. For hours he stood at the wall, hoping anyone from inside would come out so that he could explain, but no one came.<p>

A cold empty feeling settled in his heart and he staggered back out into the castle grounds. Draco looked up at the castle and began to climb, forgoing a broomstick or any protection for if he fell. He focused on the exhaustion, hoping that it would make him forget the pain. He was lucky that the castle walls were uneven and mottled with erosion, so the climb was almost easy. Halfway to the top and his hands were already taking the brunt of his anger, bloody cuts littered his finger tips. Yet he ignored it and continued, thanking Merlin that it wasn't raining.

Draco hauled himself over the roof's edge, his breathing erratic and his legs shaking. His fingers were torn to shreds and his palms were grazed from the harsh rock that he'd climbed. He curled around himself and watched the sunset. Beneath him he could hear the hustle and bustle that came around dinner time at Hogwarts. He could hear laughter and talking and knives and forks and spoons hitting crockery. He wanted to be down there sharing in the positive atmosphere but he knew he couldn't, he knew he wouldn't be accepted down there. Instead, Draco cast a silencing spell around himself and he screamed. Forcing everything he felt into that one expulsion of air.

* * *

><p>Across the castle five different Angels felt the scream tear through their minds. Only four of them went to find the source. The Tuck twins made their way to the main entrance and saw Snape and Orion waiting for them.<p>

"What was that?" Orion asked, clearly shaken.

His father raised his eyebrow and answered the question, "That was your brother. He is in emotional anguish, probably because you all abandoned him when he rescued Potter."

"Andy and I have been waiting for him to get back to the Common Room but he never came." Alerion frowned at the accusations.

"I don't care; we just have to find him before he does something stupid." Snape growled.

"Ron gave me the Marauders Map as I left." Andy suggested slightly pale.

He said the charm and they all watched as the map unfolded and began showing the layout of the school. They quickly scanned the moving footprints and each let out a breath when they found him.

"He's in the dungeons..."

"...the Great Hall..."

"...your classroom..." They each said at the same time.

"What?" Snape said startled.

They examined the map closer and sure enough Draco was in all these places and more. Each of the footprints of the missing Angel seemed to glitch.

Alerion frowned and waved his hand above the map. The lines on the page moved, lifted off the parchment and into the thin air, layering themselves on top of each other as they would be if you looked down from the sky. Draco's unmoving feet synced up with each layer.

"What does that mean? He cannot be in that many places at once."

"He is on the roof. Since he was little he would climb to the highest point of the Manor whenever he was upset." Severus berated himself for not remembering sooner.

"Andy and I will go see him and bring him down. Orion you stay here. Professor, you should go and tell Dumbledore that Draco is back and that Harry is innocent."

"Why can't I come with you?" Orion said confused.

Alerion groaned, "Your mate attacked him and you did nothing. I am sure he is feeling a little bit betrayed."

The youngest Angel nodded sadly and slid down the wall as he watched them all march off in different directions.

* * *

><p>Alerion took off his shirt and let his wings uncurl. He grabbed his brother's hand and they rose into the sky. A few moments later and they had both touched-down on top of the Great hall.<p>

"Lumos." They whispered, pointing the beams of light over the roof.

They split up trying to find their missing friend.

"Can't see him." Andy called out to his brother, seconds before he tripped over something solid and slid down the steep pitch.

"Ahh." He yelped as he slipped over the edge.

A hand caught on to his wrist and he sighed with relief.

"Jesus Andy. Can't you summon your wings and help me out a little?" Draco said after a while of him just hanging.

A look of sadness flashed over his face for a second before it was replaced with a tight smile, "They don't work so I don't think they would help much, they'd probably just get in the way."

The new found Angel frowned but then grabbed hold of his damaged ally with his other hand. They struggled together to pull him up but relaxed once Alerion had arrived to help them both.

"Thank you." Andy gasped as he returned to the flat of the roof.

"Why are you here?" Draco said slowly.

"We are looking for you."

"Why?"

"What do you mean why?" Alerion asked puzzled.

Draco turned around so quickly that the brothers flinched, "You don't want me around that much was clear. You wouldn't listen to me. I told you that Harry was innocent and you didn't believe me. So I took him to the Infirmary because he has been subject to my father's torture methods for weeks with no proper healing. Weeks in the hands of a sadistic Death Eater who has no qualms over torturing his son and heir! And then I went to your house with the intention of explaining everything and you wouldn't let me in! So I will ask again. Why are you looking for me?"

His eyes had turned to black and the air around him felt dangerous.

"We were waiting for you to come; we know you were telling the truth about Potter."

Draco snarled, "Stop lying to me!"

"Andy run!" Alerion yelled, grabbing hold of Draco, giving his brother a chance to get to safer ground.

Andy charged off the edge of the roof and summoned a broom. His broom broke his fall and he flew through a window in the Great Hall. The glass cut through his skin but he hardly noticed.

"Everyone is to evacuate to their Houses. No exceptions. Do not let anyone into the castle. There is something wrong; he's trying to kill us. Get Snape." He shouted to the headmaster before flying back out.

Andy landed in the middle of the school grounds and looked up at the roof, cursing his damaged wings not for the first time. Sensing the presence of his brother, Alerion took off and fled towards him, knowing they had a better chance if they were together. Draco swung his head round and roared at the escaping party. He ran after the flying Angel and leapt before the edge, easily clearing several meters of roof.

"No!" Andy screamed stepping towards the castle as his friend fell.

A cloud of dirt went up as his body hit the hard ground. The rest of the Great Hall's unbroken windows shattered at the force and fell like dust upon a rising figure. Draco snarled and charged towards the brothers.

The twins braced themselves for the oncoming attack. They began working together to take down their friend but no amount of effort made a sizable difference. The Tucks were bloodied and battered yet Draco didn't seem to have a scratch on him. Draco struck Andy across the back of the head leaving him dazed, clutching at the grass for stability. A scream startled Andy out of his stupor.

Alerion was on all fours, his body shuddering in pain as Draco gripped his wings. A crack reverberated around the grounds and the Angel convulsed one last time before collapsing unconscious. His wing lay awkwardly broken on top of him.

Andy roared and pounced onto their attacker. His rage and need to kill his brother's attacker gave him strength. He soon had the younger Angel beneath him and his hands around his throat. The two Angels snarled at each other. Draco grabbed his wrist and jerked it at angle, grinning as the bone snapped between his fingers. The pain didn't bother Andy who just continued his pressure at his assailant's gullet. Soon Draco's eyes flickered and rolled back. Andy growled and slammed his fist hard down on Draco's chest.

"Andy!...Andy!...ANDY STOP!"

The shouting didn't register to the Angel. Snape placed a hand on his shoulder and was surprised to be snarled at. He shot a stunning spell at the last remaining conscious fighter and watched as Andy crumpled on top of his mate's son.

He sighed and levitated all three bodies to the Infirmary with a speed hardly ever seen by the cool, unshakable Professor.

* * *

><p>"Poppy! You need to set Alerion's wing right now or he will never fly again!" Snape shouted as he blasted through the double doors.<p>

"I'll do that, you get the poison out of Harry and fast. I don't know what it is, but I expect something dark. You will probably have more luck." She said, running from one bed side to another.

Potter was in a sorry state; his skin was ice cold and covered in perspiration that had mixed with the grime of his captivity. His eyes were open yet he wasn't seeing anything; he seemed to be paralyzed with fear.

Snape muttered a couple detecting charms before cursing. There wasn't enough of the poison to actually kill the young Potter but from the looks of his scans it was damaging some vital organs; easily repairable if the venom was removed soon. The professor deliberated his options for a moment before conjuring a vial and making a start on healing his sister's son. He pressed the tip of his wand above the boy's heart and chanted an incantation.

Harry began thrashing as the dark liquid slowly filtered out of his skin like sweat. The fine black mist emanating from his body floated into the phial the Potions' Professor was holding. Potter's body jerked for a final time as his blood cleared of all traces of the poison.

Alerion let out a shallow scream from behind them, as his wing was pulled into the right position by the small nurse before being healed with magic. The pain had reached him through his unconsciousness, which made the sympathetic woman let out a tiny weep that she soon covered up.

Poppy shooed Potter's healer away from his body and began making preparations for the necessary healing. His mind would need time but his insides needed a lot of attention. Snape swiftly made his way back over to his godson and scanned his unmoving body for any trace of magic that would change Draco's behaviour, but he couldn't find anything; which was strange as he had been sure that the Imperious Curse would have been the only reason Draco attacked so ferociously. His Godfather tried again, this time he found the cause, the poison. The exact same poison that had been used on Potter.

In Harry, the toxin had a general attack range being any and all organs; but in Draco, the damage seemed concentrated on his brain. Severus continued his observations well into the night, aware that prolonged exposure could cause permanent damage.

The older man started his attempt at healing Draco; aware that any slip-up could cause irreparable damage that would, either, paralyse or kill him. Snape slowly began drawing the black substance from his temple, taking it slower than he would have usually. His body shuddered as the poison leaked out of his pores. His back arched off the bed as the last of the toxin left his body, giving a shuddering sigh of relief as his body relaxed back into unconsciousness.

Snape muttered a quick few spells, attempting to see if there was any lasting damage. Thankfully, he didn't see anything out of the ordinary, except for some easily repaired hairline cracks in Draco's legs. The Infirmary doors opened behind him and hit the walls with a force that should have cracked the stone.

"Where is he?" Ron yelled, "Where is Andy? I could feel his pain. Is he ok?"

"Mr Weasley, if I were you I'd take a deep breath before you pass out. He is fine. Poppy has fixed his wrist, he is okay. Alerion, however, remains to be seen."

The redhead perched on his mate's bed and began stroking Andy's cheek.

"What happened to them?"

"Draco did," Ron let out a gasp, "Before you get any ideas, it wasn't his fault and I will explain later why, when everyone is here. Just relax 'til then."

Severus was surprised to find that his directions were taken without complaint; he was expecting some sort of demand. He turned to look at the youngest male Weasley and found him to be curled around his mate, snoring softly. A bolt of jealousy shot through the elder man which he quickly dismissed.

Almost an hour later and Neville and Luna burst their way into the quiet room, Ginny, Orion and Sophia in tow. The latter scowled as she entered.

"Hermione coming?"

"No we didn't tell her." Ginny muttered, clearly thinking that that decision was a bad one.

Snape glared at the group for their reckless choice, "Now that you are all here, you'll have to wait for the twins to have a check up, they've had quite the ordeal. If Draco wakes up and realises that she isn't here and he has a bad reaction, I'm blaming you."

Once Alerion and Andy had been given the A-ok, Snape started his explanation.

"Draco was poisoned by his father earlier, it's a poison I have seen used a lot by Malfoy Senior; usually it dissolves all your internal organs slowly so that you die slowly and painfully. Draco however was given a month's worth of the potion, which was one of the reasons he reacted so violently. However, it appears to not work in the same way on Angels; it attacks our brains. I believe, primarily, the hypothalamus, which gives us uncontrollable mood swings. We don't deal with fear very well; we, as a species, tend to resort to anger as a defence mechanism. When he couldn't get into his home and everyone deserted him, his fear turned into anger. He is probably aware that he is slowly dying as well so that probably didn't help. With the amount he consumed, I am surprised he is still breathing, a lesser man would not have been. I think that the time in which he had been exposed made it more potent and that's why he was fine when he arrived but feral when he tried to kill the twins."

"He tried to kill them?"

"The poison made him lash out and they were unfortunately the ones to receive his wrath. He'll be back to normal when he wakes up."

"Will he remember?"

"More than likely. You'll probably find out soon."

Everyone waited around Draco's bed, except Hermione, in silence waiting for his eyes to open.

Draco flinched as a hand gripped his shoulder and started growling. Orion soon removed his hand from his person looking a little hurt at the reaction. Sophia shuffled awkwardly behind her mate before grumbling and tearing through the Infirmary doors. The Tucks rolled their eyes at her immaturity and sat down on the bed beside their friend.

"Sorry for trying to kill you both and I am so sorry I broke your wing. I can't imagine the pain I must have put you through." The bed-ridden boy whispered as he stared at the ceiling.

Alerion flinched but smiled softly, "Don't worry about it. I know you didn't mean to; whatever Malfoy poisoned you and Potter with has adverse reactions with Angel blood, hence your murderous rage. Though, this wouldn't have happened if you had told Poppy that you'd been poisoned in the first place. What were you thinking?"

"What was I thinking? I was thinking that I didn't have long left to live and the last thing I did was save Potter from the clutches of a madman. I wasn't going to have that go to waste by you all coming to kill him for something he didn't do. So I went to the house but the doorway was not there, I couldn't get in. I waited hours for one of you to hear me clawing where the door should have been or someone to come and find me. And you didn't. After everything you couldn't bring yourselves to look for me. I went to the highest point I could climb to before I collapsed. I was in so much pain and I was alone. There was so much rage building up inside of me from when I was with Lucius and from being deserted like that and I knew I had to get it out somehow before it consumed me. I was thinking that no one would care if I did just disappear without a trace."

"Don't..." Alerion said, only to be smothered by a louder voice.

"You are really screwed in the head, you know that? How do you even know that Potter is telling the truth? Your mate was attacked and is scarred by it, yet you willingly push that bastard back into her life. She hasn't spoken to any of us. She doesn't even know that you tried to kill some of her best friends. You aren't worthy of her." Orion snarled, scorn visible in his eyes.

Draco recoiled away from his half-brother, the torturous words tearing through his heart.

"I know. She deserves better, I've only brought her pain. But if you kill Potter and I turn out to actually be trustworthy, then it will hurt her a-hell-of-a-lot more, knowing that you had the truth and you ignored it anyway." He replied faintly.

"How can you be so sure that it wasn't him?!"

The boy on the bed flinched at the power in his friend's voice, "Because it was Lucius Malfoy."

"What?" Orion froze, his anger dissipating in shock.

"It was my father."

His anger returned, "You stay away from her!..."

"Orion stop!" Andy choked out.

"...If I see you around her I will kill you. You brought this on her."

"Get the fuck out Black." Alerion snarled.

Orion's face contorted in rage and he ran out the Infirmary unaware that all the items in the room quivered in his wake.

"No," Draco whispered, "He can't do this. Please don't let him do this. I can't..."

His breathing turned erratic as he fought with the covers on his bed. Draco wrenched them off, not realising that he knocked the twins off as well, as he slid out of his confinement. His feet touched the floor and his legs crumpled underneath him. He pressed a hand to his chest, feeling his heartbeat, as he scrambled to escape. Luna crouched down next to him and rubbed his shoulder in comfort.

The panicked Angel gasped at the contact and retreated to the corner, his cheeks flushed as he struggled to breathe.

"Please...I can't do this...This can't be real...How can he do this to me..."

His eyes were filled with fear as he hyperventilated.

"Whoa there Draco. You are going to be fine, don't worry. We trust you. It's not your fault. Just breathe." Andy said softly, making sure not to startle the boy.

Draco clawed at the floor with free hand, trying to push himself as far into the wall as humanly possible, as he turned his gaze on the potential threats inching their way closer.

"I can't..." He whispered as his eyes flickered shut and he slid down the wall, succumbing to the inevitable darkness.


End file.
